By Shea Wright 

For Evan Hundley, RN, CCRN, CFRN, service doesn’t stop when one shift ends, and another begins.  

Whether he’s leading trauma initiatives at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital or drilling monthly in the U.S. Army Reserve 18th Field Hospital Unit based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Hundley is driven by the same purpose: staying calm under pressure and ready to serve wherever he’s needed.  

“A lot of times, when we drill, we have to “MacGyver” the situation with whatever tools you have at your fingertips,” said Hundley, a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve. “You have to be able to think quickly on your feet. It feels like a lot of pressure, but my experiences as a trauma ICU nurse and a flight nurse have given me a few tools to stay calm under pressure.” 

That ability to stay steady amid chaos is what first drew Hundley to nursing.  

He started at the bedside in the trauma intensive care unit (ICU) at the University of Maryland Medical Center and later at Duke University Health System.  

“I molded my early career strategically to best prepare for an in-flight job, which I did and loved for seven years,” he added.  

When he isn’t at his civilian job at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital, Evan Hundley (right) serves as a 1st Lieutenant for the Army Nurse Corps’ critical care team for the U.S. Army Reserve 18th Field Hospital Unit based in Virginia Beach. (Contributed photo)

Aspiring to take on a new adventure, Hundley commissioned in the U.S. Army Reserve in early 2024.  

“I was really looking for the next challenge to deepen my skillset as a leader,” Hundley said. “Some weekends are exciting and involve marksmanship, tactical movement and weapons manipulation, and some weekends my unit focuses on triage and what to do in crisis situations.” 

As a member of the Army Nurse Corps’ critical care team, Hundley helps develop and implement training programs for junior critical care nurses. These individuals often serve in mobile triage units, mass casualty situations, and humanitarian missions, using critical thinking and clinical expertise in high-pressure environments. 

Two roles, one mission 

At his civilian day job, Hundley is not only a resource for trauma nurses; he oversees the quality of trauma care. As a quality control manager at CMH, he reviews how patients are treated, upholds compliance standards, and serves as a clinical educator.  

“In my role, I track every patient who comes through to our hospital, from the moment they hit our doors to discharge, making sure we’re delivering the highest level of care possible in these high stakes critical situations, like stroke or heart-attacks, while continuously improving each patient’s experience,” Hundley said. 

Evan Hundley, RN, CCRN, CFRN, is a quality control manager for the trauma unit at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. (Shea Wright, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Hundley’s life is an ongoing exercise in balance between his civilian role and military duties.  

When he’s not preparing to save lives, Hundley spends his free time with his family and is also pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Nursing.  He hopes to become an Advanced Practice Provider and return to the ICU in a leadership role. 

“I’ve always been drawn to the center of the action,” Hundley said. “Serving in the U.S. Army Reserve has challenged me to think and lead differently. I used to be the one at the bedside, now I’m learning to guide others in those same high-pressure situations.” 

As CMH continues to grow its trauma services, aspiring leaders like Hundley are helping to shape the future of emergency response – preparing teams to respond swiftly and effectively, no matter the situation. 

“Preparedness looks different in scrubs than it does in uniform, but the goal never changes, and that is to save lives and steady others when moments matter the most,” he said. 

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