Kenneth
Romito
May 2023
Kenneth
Romito
,
DNP, AGCNS-BC, CNOR, CSSM, FAORN
Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing
Bethesda
,
MD
United States

 

 

 

MAJ Romito can craft, deliver, and evaluate a forward-thinking, innovative MSN/DNP curriculum, engage in scholarly productivity, disseminate perioperative expertise, and showcase his dedication to the Armed Forces Health Systems.
MAJ Romito is a remarkable leader in preparing well-informed nurses committed to caring for patients and their families in the US military. He is a talented, productive, scholarly nurse clinician faculty. Nationally recognized for designing and delivering MSN/DNP perioperative education, he leads students and colleagues using evidence, analytics, and transformational leadership. MAJ Romito can craft, deliver, and evaluate a forward-thinking, innovative MSN/DNP curriculum, engage in scholarly productivity, disseminate perioperative expertise, and showcase his dedication to the Armed Forces Health Systems.
I. MAJ Romito’s breadth of knowledge in his area of practice is recognized throughout the US Army, DHA, and The Joint Commission (TJC).
●    Appointed the Deputy Perioperative Nursing Consultant to The Army Surgeon General
●    Appointed Fellow in the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (FAORN)
●    Invited item-writer/reviewer for the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist board certification exam by The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
●    Invited item-writer/exam reviewer for the Certified Surgical Services Manager board certification exam by Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI)
●    Designated Subject Matter Expert (SME) and Army Service Lead for DHA Sterilization/High-Level Disinfection (SPD/HLD) Committee
●    Serves as the Army Service lead and SME for Perioperative Nursing on the DHA Surgical Service Clinical Community (S2C2) and Surgical Clinical Management Team (SCMT)
●    He actively facilitates and mentors students in the conduction of SPD/HLD. This year alone, under his guidance, students conducted audits for BAMC, EACH, WRNMMC, FBCH, and LRMC in response to reprocessing issues and accreditation readiness to prepare for TJC; LRMC and EACH were accredited.
●    Co-led revision, delivery, and evaluation of two HLD/SPD best practices courses to include dental and readiness SME panel across the USA, USAF, and USN; enhancing the practice of 67 (face to face, Oct 2022) and 89 (face to face, Sep 2023) healthcare leaders/ 32 MTFs/ 1.3K CEUs awarded.
II. Advances the scope and practice of nursing within the Uniformed Services and/or the Federal Health System: 
MAJ Romito assures that the process, resources, products, discoveries, and outcomes of his perioperative knowledge (SPD/HLD; AMP Tracers, etc.) have penetrated the professional conversation and informed programs, both service and civilian developments across the country. His efforts and generosity of mentorship and knowledge hold such promise. His scope of practice is directly connected to the organization's strategic intent, the community's health, the services, and the beneficiaries we care for.
III. Translates current practice experiences into educational opportunities for students: 
Two major components are reflected within MAJ Romito’s current contributions to the students: First, the GSN as a CORE student body, and then specifically, the AGCNS community.
●    Dr. Romito demonstrates GSN's Core values of Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Communication, and Excellence (TRICE). MAJ Romito has never hesitated to support the program’s needs: wholeheartedly stepped in to support the GSN’s IMM/Health and Wellness events in collaboration with Dr. Taylor. Additionally, he supports activities, simulations, and operational readiness electives. He enthusiastically agreed to lead the Student Advisory Council and has guided committee members and incoming students with confidence and clarity of decision-making.
●    In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Romito facilitated the deployment of the Army LTHET Webinar on submitting an exceptional application for graduate school.  Attended by 40 in February 2021 to extraordinary reviews, the recording on JKO has had over 1000 hits across the armed forces, resulting in numerous requests to showcase the synchronous webinar in the Spring of 2022. The coordination of 3 CEU offered webinars throughout the summer of 2020 and 2021, including Optimizing Your Optimal Time (40 attendees), Building Your Best Application (46 attendees), and Best Doctoral Program for Me (56 attendees).  He has exponentially amplified our AGCNS, and GSN, reputation across the services.  
●    MAJ Romito encourages CNS students to regularly attend the DHA Sterilization/HLD Committee, where EBP knowledge gaps were identified, and worked with the DHA S2C2, SCMT, infection preventionists, surgeons, and CNS students and colleagues to co-author DHA Administrative Instruction overseeing sterile processing procedures, competencies and logistical standardization across 700 MTFs.
●    MAJ Romito coordinated and mobilized students as sterilization/HLD SMEs to Evans Army Community Hospital and Brook Army Medical Center in response to adverse events involving bioburden contamination of surgical instruments. MAJ Romito and the students developed accreditation readiness audits to address reprocessing concerns.  Three students received hospital commander coins in appreciation of their timely support.
●    Coordinated/secured MMCBC training for 8 nurses at Fort Detrick and the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, guided students to provide leadership-requested program evaluation feedback.
●    Proficiently guides active communications to establish strong foundational relationships in the CNS Cells at WRNMMC, as well as the Center for Nursing Science & Clinical Inquiry (CNSCI) at BAMC, LRMC, TAMC, and MAMC.
●    Coordinated and secured SME trainer roles for 6 students at the annual Joint Emergency Medicine Exercise (JEMX) at Fort Cavazos, TX, training over 100 medics on TCCC and damage control resuscitation and damage control surgery. The 4 attendees of the 2023 JEMX for the AGCNS program were awarded Army Achievement Medals for their succession planning, organization, and leadership, ensuring the highest level of training was available to all participants.