CAREERS IN NURSING: QUALITY CARE AND PEACE OF MIND

CAREERS IN NURSING
QUALITY CARE AND PEACE OF MIND: NORTHWEST NURSING CENTER

by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer

Welcome to Northwest Nursing Center where you will find quality care and peace of mind for your loved ones. Here, you will find rehab services, giving a variety of services and amenities in friendly, supportive atmosphere. Northwest Nursing Center helps seniors find the worry-free lifestyle they want. In this community, seniors have complete rehab services as well as a friendly, supportive community.
This is where each patient has a chance to help restore the physical and emotional quality of life. Care, compassion and customer service is very important for the professional care that is offered. The residents enjoy a therapeutic recreational program that focuses on individuality, life skills and personal growth.
With a friendly smile and warm welcome, Licia Elliott is an LPN; ADON (Assistant director of Nursing) Licia enjoys working with the residents. “I feel like I have a real bond with the residents. We have many activities here for our senior residents; our main focus is caring for our residents.”
Growing up in Kansas, Licia had big dreams of what she wanted to do when she grew up. “While all of my friends talked about being a school teacher or a nurse, I had a little bit of a different dream. I wanted to be a paralegal, studying Criminal Justice. I ended up going to school for a little while but soon realized this class and subject was not for me! I decided to take a little break. It’s funny how certain things arrive in the mail at a certain time and have such an influence on someone’s life. That is what happened to me. I received a catalog in the mail about nursing school and the many opportunities that I could choose from in the medical field. I went to nursing school at Tidewater Tech College in Norfolk Virginia and am certainly glad that I made that decision.”
Asking Licia what qualities make a good nurse, she replied, “I think a nurse needs to be compassionate, have a desire to care for others, do their best to help the patient or resident. A good nurse needs to be trustworthy, and definitely have team work. Teamwork is so important,” she added.
Did anyone influence you to become a nurse? I ask Licia. “My aunt was an RN. She had a lot of hospital experience. When I was growing up, I always took care of others if they were sick. It was just something I started doing and had a real desire to help in any way that I could. I’m sure that had a little bit of something to do with me being a nurse,” she added. “I also have an aunt that is going to school to be a nurse. I like to think that I might have had an influence on her.”
“Working as a nurse, I’ll have to admit, it has some challenges, and yes, that can be rough at times,” said Licia. “The good always outweighs the bad. One of my favorite parts about my job is when the resident has worked very hard to set out to do something and then, they succeed! It could be the smallest of things, but it is such a big thing to them. When they reach their goal, they feel so good. The residents like that recognition and that celebration that they get to have for themselves.”
“Even though I spend a lot of time working here, in my off time, I enjoy spending time with my family. I like to travel, when I can get away, and I like to read books; all kinds of books. I especially like it when I get together with my relatives for special family events,” Licia commented.
Asking Licia what her biggest quality about herself is, overall, she replied. “I guess I would say that I am honest, loyal and dependable; that’s what people tell me anyway,” she added with a smile.