Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

374 MILLENNIUM-SECOND EDITION F rances Eileen Todd has had a passion for children and health care since she was a young girl. Growing up, Dr. Todd was influenced to pursue a career in the medical field by her grandfather and brother, who were both pharmacists. She believed that nursing was a better field in which to work directly with people and help them get better. With drive and determination, she decided to attend nursing school in order to begin working as a nursing attendant at St. Earne’s Nursing Home in 1973. She was excited to start a career in emergency nursing, which helped improve people’s lives during critical situations. Nursing offered many opportunities for employment, allowing her to make a home at UCLA Medical Center, where she remained from 1974 to 2015. During her tenure there she was a clinic nurse level I, evening shift relief charge nurse, clinic nurse level II, pediatric liaison nurse, and pediatric nurse practitioner. Dr. Todd continued expanding her knowledge base while remaining in direct contact with patients and has been in county health management since 2015. She is most proud to have been on the cutting edge of several major programs in the emergency room that were approved for pediatrics. She co-authored “Judges and Stewards Handbook” and has contributed articles to professional journals. Aside from her medical career, Dr. Todd has been involved in breeding Peruvian Paso horses, which is her favorite pastime. Currently she and her husband are involved in national politics for the breed. She has received many awards during her career, including a special recognition from PDNL and being honored by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center as an Outstanding Pediatric Nurse in 1979 and 1983. Looking to the future, Dr. Todd intends to continue riding Peruvian horses with her husband while working on improving health care. Her advice to someone starting out in the field is to gain experience caring for patients and go where one’s heart and mind lead. FRANCES EILEEN TODD PEDIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER, HEALTH CARE TRANSFORMATION ADVOCATE Los Angeles County Health Agency, SEIU 721 Lomita, CA