Meet Broward Health's Robotics Coordinator Jessica Cutler-DeVore, RN

Title/Department: Jessica Cutler-DeVore, Robotics Coordinator at Broward Health Coral Springs

My role at Broward Health:  Registered Nurse and Robotics Coordinator at Broward Health Coral Springs. 

How my role impacts patient care: As robotics coordinator, I facilitate the robotics program, supplies and equipment at Broward Health Coral Springs. I ensure we have the instrumentation and equipment necessary for every robotic procedure. I serve as the staff resource and am available for all robotic surgeries.  I also circulate cases and scrub in as needed and provide educational training to all staff members. 

The career path that led me to this position: I started my career as an exercise physiologist working with patients in cardiac rehabilitation who received lung transplants or had open heart surgery. I decided to go back to nursing school and became an operating room nurse specializing in cardiothoracic surgery. After a few years of working long days and being on-call, I needed a change. Robotic surgery was relatively new and very exciting. I love the technology and watching the specialty evolve over the years. One of the reasons I decided to join Broward Health is the fact that they have the best robotically trained surgeons on staff. 

How minimally invasive surgery benefits/impacts the patient experience: Minimally invasive surgery benefits the patient experience in several ways. The incisions are smaller so patients typically experience less pain compared to having an open procedure. There is also less blood loss and fewer complications, which enables the patient to return home and back to work faster compared to open surgery. In fact, some of our patients return home on the same day as their surgery. 

What people should know about robotic surgery: A robot does not perform the surgery; a surgeon does the procedure using a robotic-assisted minimally invasive technique.  The surgeon has complete control over the robotic instruments at all times.  Robotic surgery allows the surgeon to perform complicated procedures in a minimally invasive fashion. Patients, who may not be candidates for open surgical procedures due to health reasons, may benefit from minimally invasive robotic surgery.

Broward Health, providing service for more than 85 years, is a nationally recognized system in South Florida that offers world-class healthcare to all. The Broward Health system includes the statutory teaching hospital Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, Broward Health Physician Group, Broward Health Urgent Care, Broward Health International, and Broward Health Foundation. For more information, visit BrowardHealth.org.