Richard K. Stanzak

Richard Stanzak is a critical care nurse. He also worked as a molecular biologist for fourteen years, seven of them for Eli Lilly pharmaceuticals in both research and development.

As a traveling ICU nurse he has been employed at 19 different assignments. He has worked in major trauma units, transplant units, cardiac units and hospitals from 1150 beds to 8 beds. He has experienced first-hand the problems of healthcare and can certainly attest this is a national problem.

I am the author and/or co-author of several papers and also have several patents. I was lead author of a benchmark paper on the cloning of genes responsible for the production of erythromycin. I was engaged in research at Eli Lilly when Prozac was first discovered and Genentech first licensed the insulin gene to Lilly. As a critical care nurse, I am responsible for providing teaching to patients or families about drugs, diseases and procedures.

I have had careers as diverse as over the road truck driver to molecular biologist. I am currently employed as a traveling critical care nurse in the San Francisco Bay area.