What drew me to Nursing?

I was hospitalized when I was eleven. Next to me was a five year old boy. He was badly burned over his upper body and had difficulty  using the call bell. I became his voice. The nurses were so kind though I’m sure I drove them crazy with the frequency of calls. They actually thanked me and made me feel good about helping him. Then in High School I volunteered to go on visits in the community with the Nursing Sisters. When we would enter the patients’ homes, I saw such a look of relief and gratitude on their faces. I think wanting to do that for another person crept into my blood.

What has kept me at YAI?

I have learned from and loved every nursing job I have ever had. There are so many reasons that I am now at YAI for 24 years. I like the autonomy which allows a nurse to influence the care and to positively affect the outcomes for those we serve. I continue to learn on a daily basis, whether it is about medical conditions, medications, or the importance of trainings and advocacy. I have grown both personally and professionally in ways I never imagined. The people I have worked with along the way have been an important part of my YAI journey. I have seen the nursing dept grow from six to now near 50. I am very proud to be a part of this talented and diverse team. I am grateful everyday for the skills, knowledge, kindness, and support of the nursing supervisors and coordinators.

Memorable Moments

I have so many memorable moments, but the first two that come to mind are: I first started working  at Sprucewood on Long Island. There was a young man there who rarely showed emotions of any kind. Early on I observed one of the young female residents sit down next to him and hold his hand. The grin on his face was almost comical in size. That sight has stayed with me along with a lesson on the importance of human touch. The second was a phone call I received from a Brooklyn program. The call concerned a young woman complaining of stomach pains. After a negative response to pertinent triage questions I was leaning towards instructing staff to continue to observe and call me back. At that point another staff took the phone to let me know she was in her third trimester. Later that night she delivered her baby. Thank goodness staff gave me that important piece of information or we may have had the first YAI home delivery!