Former Walter Reed Navy Nurse and Savage, Minnesota Native Accepted into USU Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program

Story by Vernishia Vaughn

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

In a significant advancement for military mental health services, U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Lindsay Bender’s demonstrated leadership and empathy through her contributions throughout her military career, and notably at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

U.S. Army Col. Wendy Woodall, Walter Reed’s director of nursing, aimed to “Highlight the great work of her team members” in an email titled “DNS Team Members to Highlight,” featuring Bender among the four names listed.

Bender was specifically chosen to “rapidly fill a critical leadership billet of Assistant Service Chief,” shared Woodall.

The director of nursing services emphasized that “This role is typically for an O-3 or higher and GS-12,” acknowledging the significance of Bender’s assignment.

As Woodall continued providing reasons for highlighting team members like Bender, she revealed, “Bender has been accepted into the Uniformed Services University (USU) Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program in March 2024!”

For Bender, this achievement and progress involved her leadership ability, empathetic nature and collaboration mentality.

During her time at Walter Reed, Bender took on multiple roles, notably serving as the Assistant Service Chief of a 20-bed medical-surgical unit and efficiently leading more than 60 military and civilian personnel. The George Mason University graduate understood the gravity of occupying a role usually reserved for higher-ranking individuals, crediting her success to the guidance received and her experience in nursing leadership.

“I feel very fortunate to have been selected to fill this role,” Bender remarked. “I owe a lot of gratitude to the mentors and leaders I’ve worked with throughout my career, who have helped shape me into the person I am today.”

Recognizing her work as Assistant Service Chief as a continuation of her recent experience as a floor nurse, which influenced leadership decisions, Bender added, “Nursing is a team effort, and I approach each day as a unique opportunity to improve upon the previous day, with the awareness that influence can be felt throughout every level of the leadership structure.”

She also acknowledged her “floor experience” for providing a distinctive perspective when discussing unit operations and management with other nursing leaders, underlining the significance of a supportive and collaborative environment.

Additionally, Bender served as a Patient Safety Advisor and ‘Super User’ for MHS GENESIS, the DOD’s new electronic health records system.

As a Patient Safety Advisor, Bender played a significant role in enhancing patient safety and quality improvement, fostering an environment of understanding and compassion essential for patient care.

Adapting to change, Bender led efforts during the MHS GENESIS implementation as a ‘Super-User,’ contributing to staff proficiency by linking traditional practices with new technology.

“Change is challenging, and reactions vary,” she shared. “Yet, recognizing the similarities between MHS GENESIS and the former system, Essentris, helped staff become more confident in the new system.”

Committed to innovation and process improvement, Bender used her ‘why’ approach to revamp the nursing workflow for lab specimen handling across the directorate, improving policies and resulting in increased scanning compliance rates among nursing staff.

Bender’s dedication to military mental health services was further fueled by her personal experiences, leading to her pursuit of a degree in Psychiatric Mental Health from USU, a degree program that begins this month.

“Throughout my career, I have encountered various stigmas and barriers toward seeking mental health care, which has fueled my passion for advocacy for change,” Bender explained. “This is why the opportunity to complete the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree through USUHS is so exciting!”

Her advocacy was driven by recognizing the need among service members, including the challenges of military life and seeking mental health treatment.

From her initial poetic connection with the trumpet as a Marine Corps instrumentalist to her transition into the Navy’s Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program and eventually her commission into the Navy Nurse Corps in 2021, Bender’s military career spans 14 years and two branches. Her diverse experiences infuse her leadership with empathy and reinforce her dedication to service.

Beyond her roles at Walter Reed, Bender engages in winter sports, showcasing her steadfast dedication, discipline, and grit – qualities that propelled her toward future successes as a mental health advocate.

“I hope to be an advocate for change and another person in the fight to increase mental health services for service members,” shared Bender. “The opportunity to attend USUHS and receive a top-quality education is life-changing, and I’m extremely grateful.”

Since this release, Bender has left Walter Reed, and has begun her educational journey in the USU Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program.