Manuela Perales, MSN, RN, (USAHS MSN ‘20), has devoted her 25-year nursing career to serving others through compassionate, high-quality care. As the associate director for patient care services/nurse executive at the Veterans Administration (VA) Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System in Harlingen, Texas, she brings leadership and heart to veteran care.
In 2021, Perales was recognized as an inaugural recipient of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) Force for Good award, honoring her commitment to advancing patient outcomes and access to care. At the time, she was serving as chief of quality, safety and value (QSV), a role in which she helped lead initiatives designed to meet key healthcare benchmarks and improve the overall veteran experience.
“As hospitals and facilities increasingly adopt healthcare technologies, nurses have become the cornerstone in using and applying technologies to improve patient care,” Perales says. “My roles have allowed me to be a servant leader and promote quality care.”
Championing veteran care
Perales began her VA journey in 2012 as a care manager at Texas Valley Coastal Bend. She quickly transitioned into a quality clinician role in 2014 and later into senior leadership positions, allowing her to expand her impact across multiple areas, including intensive care, cardiac catheterization lab, telemetry, interventional radiology, primary care and care management. Her deep clinical background continues to inform the systems-level work she leads today.
Throughout her career, she has prioritized Veteran-centric care rooted in the principles of High Reliability Organizations, consistently striving to make healthcare safer, more effective and more accessible.
“As an advocate of High-Reliability Organization principles, I always put Veterans first,” she says. “I did not realize I was a force for good since I truly try to help and love others in the way I would like to be helped and loved.”
Elevating care quality
Perales has helped coordinate critical community care services and specialty programs tailored for the unique needs of the veteran population. Her leadership played a key role in achieving CARF Accreditation for the Integrated Community Mental Health-Range Program, and she has collaborated across interdisciplinary teams to improve care coordination and timely access to services.
Since earning her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from USAHS in 2020, with a specialization in Nursing Informatics, she has been at the forefront of integrating technology into patient care. Her focus on informatics ensures that emerging systems truly support nurses and improve outcomes for the people they serve.
Inspiring future leaders
In addition to her work within the VA system, Perales is passionate about preparing the next generation of nurse leaders. She mentors USAHS students and serves as a nurse informatics preceptor for the USAHS School of Nursing, helping them understand the real-world application of informatics and leadership in modern healthcare.
Her influence has had ripple effects: one USAHS student she mentored was selected to serve on the nurse informatics national advisory council. “This committee provides direction for the creation of the new national electronic medical record for the Veterans Administration,” states Perales’ Force for Good nominator.
“USAHS students are a great example of commitment, perseverance and love for others,” Perales shares. “My challenge to them is to continue to care for others with the utmost love and compassion.”
She firmly believes that graduation is only the beginning, and that each nurse has the power to lead purposeful progress.
“Students’ accomplishments don’t end when they graduate,” she says. “These leaders can continue to be a force for a better world, as all of us have been blessed with unique experiences and talents that can be used to bring change and improve our world one action at a time.”
