Hometown: Beavercreek
Job Title: Registered Nurse
Where do you work: Soin Medical Center
Describe what your day is like/what you do: I am a night shift nurse working on a cardiac medical/surgical unit. We care for patients with a variety of illnesses and conditions but mainly patients admitted to the hospital for heart-related issues including post-cardiac catheterization, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, and the list goes on. It is never quiet. No matter what anyone says, people don't always sleep at night!
What inspired you to get into health care? I was inspired by my mom to get into health care. When I was little my mom worked at a nursing facility and I would visit her there and help pass water to the residents and help with activities like bingo and I absolutely loved bringing a smile to the residents' faces. It was then that I knew I wanted to do something to help others.
Health Care Hero: ‘I really love my job’
What's a memorable experience you've had in health care? I have had many memorable experiences, good and bad. But I would say that the current COVID-19 pandemic has been the most memorable. My unit is mainly a cardiac floor, but almost over night, we transitioned into a closed isolation unit for COVID-19 patients only. Things seemed to change and adjust daily but this is often the case in health care. My co-workers are such amazing people and we have great teamwork, so we all made it work smoothly. Going from mainly working with cardiac patients to respiratory patients was an adjustment and these patients were very sick and unstable. I think we all learned and saw new things from our amazing ICU nurses, doctors and from these patients. During this time patients were also not allowed to have visitors and that was really tough on them. Being able to have family support to advocate for them and also for their mental health is really important. I feel honored to have been able to be there for these patients during this scary time and I hope I was able to brighten at least one person's day. I feel blessed to have been able to have amazing support from my husband and children — not only during this time but always — as some days are really tough, and they are always supportive and understanding. This has been such a unique experience, I don't think I will ever forget.
Health Care Hero: ‘I became a nurse to make a difference’
What do you want readers to know about your job right now? Now that, in our area, we are no longer preparing for the peak of COVID-19 cases, we have transitioned back to our normal cardiac unit. I think this experience has bonded my unit on a whole other level and we are all closer than ever. We all experienced this together and will always have this memory together. I am honored to be able to work with some of the best nurses, respiratory therapists, nurse aids, doctors, phlebotomists/lab techs, cleaning staff, etc. I appreciate them all so much more than I ever have!