Maureen Rohan, Nurse Manager in our Home Care Department, says nursing chose her. She was working as far back as high school as a dietary aide in a nursing facility and was “recruited” by an astute Nurse Supervisor who observed she was in the wrong department after seeing her interactions with the residents. She has now been a nurse for 37 years, and has spent 27 of them with WMEC, working up the nursing ranks. She considers it an honor to listen, care for, and advocate for the most vulnerable patients. She fondly remembers George, a consumer whose life turned around with the help she was able to provide, and whom she says had a profound effect on her and cemented the idea that this area of community nursing was the right choice. She says, “I love that this profession offers so much diversity of choice in the ever-evolving health care field. Regardless of the path, there are innumerable opportunities to contribute in making a difference for someone in need, which is validating at the end of the day.” Thank you, Maureen, for all you do for WMEC by leading the Home Care nursing team!
Jim Skarzynski has been a nurse for 34 years, and over four of those with WMEC’s home care program. Jim decided to become a nurse after meeting several nurses while serving with his wife as a missionaries overseas and was inspired by the excitement they showed for their work. Jim’s favorite part about being a nurse is getting to know his consumers’ stories of how they came to be who and where they are. He views it as a perk of working with older adults. We’re so happy to have Jim on our Home Care team!
Doris Mitchell has been with WMEC’s Adult Family Care department for almost five of her 43 years of being a nurse. Doris started out working in a hospital, then moved to long-term care, and now enjoys working in community care. Doris reminisces about her 18 years working on a memory care floor, saying “I loved making residents laugh, giving and getting hugs, holding a resident’s hand as he / she was passing, or alleviating their fears. I can recall a resident that worried their ‘parents worried about them coming home from school’”. [SA1] [RM2] We’re so lucky to have Doris as part of our Adult Family Care team!
Rachel Hampson was not doing what she really loved. She had been a post office clerk, a nanny, a fruit vendor, and a sales clerk, but her heart really lay in helping people. She has now been a nurse for over 15 years, and loves what she does! She says, “My favorite nursing specialty will always be caring for residents who are in hospice. It is very rewarding and always makes me feel happy (and sad at the same time) when the resident passes, knowing that I made the last trip in their journey as pain free and as comfortable as I could.” Rachel has been a part of our home care nursing team for a bit over a year. We’re glad you joined our team, Rachel!
Vicky Vermette didn’t always want to be a nurse, but she got a break with a new skilled nursing facility in town and thought she’d see if nursing was for her. She found she really enjoyed the bedside care, and decided to go for it. She says, “I applied for nursing school at every community/state college within a 50 mile radius to be sure I was accepted into a nursing program.” A nurse now for the past eleven years, and two with WMEC, Vicky finds satisfaction in being able to obtain a service or personal equipment that the client needs to improve their quality of life, and enjoys teaching and providing education to the caregiver to better care for the client safely. The part of being a nurse for the geriatric population that really touches her heart, she says, is being with a patient at the end of life, holding a hand and listening to their stories. “Our elders just want to be heard and are grateful for someone be close by. “ We’re so grateful to have Vicky on our team! Ask her sometime about how one of her residents learned how to ski at the age of 60!
Heather Dion didn’t dream of being a nurse as a child, but met so many wonderful nurses who inspired her, especially when working in the Alzheimer’s unit of a nursing home (?), that she did become a nurse herself. She has been with WMEC for 10 years and says, “Being a nurse has allowed me to meet so many new people. I’ve met people from lots of different backgrounds, cultures and social statuses, who I would have otherwise never had the opportunity to meet. Ultimately, each and every person I have cared for has touched my life and helped me grow into the person I am today. There has been no greater satisfaction than to be able to help people through their journey.” We’re lucky to have nurses like Heather on our team!
Noreen Desroches leads our Adult Family Care nursing staff. She has been a nurse for 31 years. “I love being a nurse,” she says. “I have enjoyed every minute of my career, from bedside nursing to Director of Nursing.” Recently, Noreen ran into a friend from high school whose father she had the privilege to care for. His father had a long road to recovery, and, at times, thought he may never walk again. Added to that, his wife had early-stage dementia. Noreen’s team at the time needed not only to nurse the husband back to health, but to find a suitable living space for the couple that would meet both their needs. She says, “We worked hard, and he was finally able to stand and transfer in and out of his chair – success!!! And we were able to find appropriate housing for him and his wife! He is now turning 90 and living in an independent living center.” The son will never forget everything Noreen did for his dad and his family. “This is what nursing is all about,” Noreen said. “Making a difference in someone’s life. Small acts of kindness go a long way!” Noreen and her team make a difference in our consumers’ lives every day. Thank you Noreen for all that you do!
Karen Merchant never thought of being anything but a nurse. She was raised from a young age to care for people and help her older relatives, and taking care of people became second nature. “It gives me great pride to be able to provide people with assistance to make their life more manageable and happy,” she said. Being of Italian heritage, Karen immediately connected with her patient, Mary, an Italian woman with MS. Mary [RM3] loved to cook and bake all the Italian favorites – she even owned her own bakery. “A few years after Mary was diagnosed,” Karen said, “she had to sell the bakery, as she could no longer physically manage to operate it. I watched her MS progress over the years, where eventually she could not hold anything in either hand.“ Mary was realistic about the progression of her disease, but her family needed greater support, especially in the last months of Mary’s life, and Karen was there to provide for them. “When Mary passed on,” Karen said, “the family was very grateful for all the support and help I was able to give over the years. From the beginning of becoming Mary’s nurse, I was humbled each month after visiting her, because, no matter what life threw my way, I was still an Italian girl still able to cook and bake.“