Registered Nurse

What is your role with Community Healthcare System?
I am a registered nurse in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Department at Community Hospital. I have worked at Community Hospital for 36 years, with 31 of those years spent in cardiac rehab.

What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare?
I was inspired to become a nurse while working as a nurse’s aide at a nursing home. There, I grew to love helping others in their time of need. During nursing school, I came to love cardiac care and learned the importance of taking care of one's overall health to help prevent heart disease.

What is a typical day like for you?
A typical day in cardiac rehab includes working with patients who have recently undergone some type of cardiac event and procedure. We monitor our patients’ heart rhythm and vital signs while they exercise. We also help our patients with the management of the factors that puts one at risk for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, etc. We educate and encourage our patients to eat healthy and help them establish an exercise program that will lead to a better quality of life while lowering the risk for another heart event.

What are some of the big changes you have experienced in this position?
The biggest change I have seen in my job is the tremendous strides that have been made in the treatment of heart disease through better medication management, new procedures and the recognition and research that supports the need for cardiac rehab.

What are some of your interests outside of work?
I enjoy exercising, reading and spending time with my spouse and three adult children.

What do you enjoy most about working at Community Healthcare System?
What I appreciate most about my time at Community Hospital are the fantastic managers and peers I have worked with throughout my career. It has been a place that has allowed me to grow and become a better nurse.