Georgia Swank, MS, RN, CDDN

As Director of Clinical Development at PA™ and a Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse, I have a background that includes a broad range of professional, educational, and personal experiences. I have worked in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as in psychiatric inpatient services, and my education includes two undergraduate degrees in nursing and a Master's in Nursing Administration, and CDDN certification.

I started out many, many years ago as a nurse's aide, providing home care and working in nursing homes. In the '80s I worked for several years as a residential manager for a group home. After attending nursing school and trying out different nursing areas, I finally settled in the psych field. I was a primary nurse and then managed an inpatient acute psychiatric hospital for several years and then moved to ResCare as a Director of Health Services. I have served on several state and government committees related to disabilities issues. Currently I am the President for Kentucky Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA), having served as Secretary for the Indiana Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association (DDNA) in previous years. I am working on developing or revitalizing DDNA organizations in other states. I have developed programs, policies and procedures for DD organizations, and education on end of life stages, medication administration, aging with DD, medical issues and many nursing topics related to individuals with disabilities. I am a fairly frequent speaker at conferences and enjoy talking to people who work in DD as I travel. In my spare time (haha) , I teach graduate classes to Nurses who are in a variety of healthcare leadership and education Master's programs.

Life at home revolves around my family, including my husband, Steve, and our 4 pets....2 rather elderly dogs, and 2 cats who are teenagers. A volatile mix. My adult daughters Cory and Logan live close enough that I can see them frequently, which is great! For relaxation, I enjoy creating stained glass and mosaic art, attending live theater performances, reading, swimming, music, traveling (especially to the tropics), and motorcycling.

The people of Pharmacy Alternativesâ„¢ are wonderful to work with: positive, upbeat, and always working toward the goals of making life and work better for individuals with I/DD and their support staffs. I wouldn't be here if they weren't.