Hometown (where you live now): Springfield
Job title: Nursing Supervisor
Where do you work: Mercy Health-Urbana Hospital
Describe what your day is like/what you do: Rounding on units, staffing to census, bed placement, trouble-shooting issues that pop up, answering call lights on the different units, helping with cares, assisting in the Emergency Department when it is busy, constantly assessing the hospital, facilitating communication with leadership, attending codes and strokes, facilitating throughput with patients, managing after-hours issues, reports and as always finding someone to sit with one-to-one patients.
Health Care Hero: ‘I became a nurse to make a difference’
What inspired you to get into health care? Since I was a little girl, I loved taking care of others and always wanted to fix their hurts. I decided to be a nurse when I was the primary caregiver for my grandmother when she was dying. Those last moments of life are just as precious as the beginning moments and it was a privilege to care for her. I knew then that I had to be a nurse and the opportunity just fell into my lap. It was meant to be.
Health Care Hero: ‘I really love my job’
What's a memorable experience you've had in health care? There's been so many! I think the best part of nursing is you can be anything. I've been lucky and had opportunities to work in the OR, Interventional Radiology, ICU, PACU, PICC nurse, manager and supervisor. So many stories, probably the most hopeful is about one of my hospice patients when I was managing the inpatient hospice unit. I approved an orchestra to come play for the patient and lots of friends and family filled our unit. The patient had a full recovery and graduated hospice walking out of our unit the next week. It truly was a miracle!
What do you want readers to know about your job right now: Nursing supervision is a dynamic job that touches every department of the hospital. The best part is building relationships with everyone and facilitating throughput. Mercy Health-Urbana Hospital is one big family and the best place to work.