Robert Daniels

I believe in fate. I believe in the true passion of a man’s spirit. I believe in dreams coming true and even love at first sight. I believe you can do and be anything in this world if you just believe. I’ve spent the past 23 years as a law enforcement officer and just recently retired as a sergeant from the 34th largest police department in the country. But this wasn’t my first love or true passion in life.

I started in the medical field in 1981 as a paramedic trainee with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. At the age of 16 the desire and compassion to serve my community began a journey into public safety that would span and encompass the majority of my life. I pursued a career in fire service immediately following high school but found an opportunity to serve my country as a Hospital Corpsman in the United States Navy. Working alongside Marines, Sailors and their families, I learned early on the true value of the human spirit and the character of the men and woman in the armed forces. No one could have told me then the lessons that I would learn as an emergency room medic would prepare me for my long career in law enforcement, however my experiences transcended into public safety long after my brief military service. I had never forgotten the skills that I learned as an ER team member instilled in me by the Navy Nursing Corps and for many many, years I often thought of pursuing a career in nursing leaving law enforcement behind. I never thought that the day would finally come when this would be more than just a fleeting thought or dream but something that I could turn in to reality. Even for the past 23 years as a police officer I continued to believe that the drive, passion and desire to be among some of our nation’s finest critical thinkers in hospitals all across this country could one day be my reality. Although I had put aside the health profession to focus on public safety, I believe the nursing community will benefit from my experiences as I change hats once again.

I believe nursing to be a calling much like a minister is called to preach. I believe the spirit of nurses from long ago, who paved the way to ensure that the profession of nursing would take its rightful place of respected professions, resides on the inside of me and people like me. I believe that their struggles, sacrifices and successes will continue as I follow their paths and even blaze my own trails.