Signing up to help elderly eat their meals literally changed Shannon’s life.
“Working at CHCC has given me a sense of purpose in my life and has helped me to grow personally,” she says.
That first job as a dietary assistant at Christian Health Care Center helped Shannon clarify what she wanted to do with her life: help people. So, all while working at CHCC, she trained and studied and, eventually, became a registered nurse.
At the time, CHCC was offering free nursing assistant certification classes. Shannon signed up, and the rest was history. (CNA classes are now offered by Lynden Healthcare Education on the CHCC campus in Lynden.)
“It is a great program that provides new CNAs with lots of hands-on experience,” she says. “Working at CHCC as a nursing assistant allowed me to get a feel for the health care field before pursuing a nursing degree.”
CHCC made it so easy to pursue an education while also caring for residents and patients, she says.
“Throughout my years working at CHCC, management and co-workers have always been extremely supportive, from learning my first health care dietary job to pursuing my nursing degree and working my first job as an RN,” she says. “CHCC worked with me to find a flexible schedule that allowed me to keep working as a nursing assistant while getting my nursing degree. CHCC has flexible scheduling that supports a positive work-life balance.”
Today, as a licensed nurse, Shannon gets to spend a lot of time working directly with those who live here at CHCC. She loves that.
“The best part of my job is the patients,” she says. “I enjoy being able to create special and meaningful connections with them. ”
On a typical day, Shannon helps with medications and treatments, monitors changes that might occur, and works with other members of the health care team to provide the best possible care for all. A special part of being a long-term care nurse, she says, is acting as an advocate for the people she provides care for. It’s a special blessing, she says.
“Being able to be part of my patients’ lives as they reach special milestones is very rewarding,” she says.
Shannon fondly remembers the first time Animals as Natural Therapy brought animals to CHCC for residents to pet and spend time with.
“Seeing the joy and excitement in their’ faces was very special,” she says.
Working as a nurse in long-term care at CHCC is not without difficulties, but it’s an incredible blessing, she says.
“If you are a patient, compassionate individual with a strong work ethic who enjoys taking care of others, health care may be the job for you,” she says. “At CHCC, we have a very supportive work environment and are welcoming to new team members. Working in health care is an incredibly challenging job, but it also extremely rewarding.”