National Director of Nursing Programs
Lygia Arcaro, MSN, MHA, RN, BC was recently named National Director of Nursing Programs for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Simulation Learning Education and Research Network (SimLEARN) Program. In this role, she will serve as a member of the leadership team working with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and educators to develop learning opportunities for staff using state-of-the-art simulation learning technology for the VA.
Ms. Arcaro is a member of the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning, the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, and the Florida Nurses Association. She was a past president of the Nevada Nurses Association, and was an active member of the American Nurses Association's Congress of Nursing Practice's Standards and Guidelines Committee for eight years. In addition, she holds a national certification in Nursing Professional Development, and served as one of VHA's Veterans Integrated Service Network SimLEARN champions.
Ms. Arcaro began her VA career as a Quality Assurance trainee at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center (VAMC) and has over 20 years of dedicated service. She worked in Nursing Education positions at the West Los Angeles and Las Vegas VAMCs and transitioned to the position of Facility Education Coordinator at the Las Vegas VAMC. Heading east to the Richmond VAMC, she served in the role of Associate Chief Nurse for Education. Ms. Arcaro served as the founding Chief of Education and the Designated Learning Officer at the Orlando VAMC prior to being selected for the SimLEARN position. She has received numerous awards throughout her many years of VA service, including recognition from the Southern Nevada Federal Executive Association, and the March of Dimes (Nevada) for her professional contributions.
Ms. Arcaro received her diploma from St. Vincent's Hospital School of Nursing in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and later received her undergraduate degree in Nursing from Western Connecticut State College. She earned her graduate degree in Nursing from Clarkson College and is currently completing doctoral work at Touro University International located in Cypress, California. In addition, Ms. Arcaro is a graduate of Leadership VA, the VHA Health Care Leadership Institute, and the VHA Executive Career Field Program.
