Celebrating, Appreciating, and Acknowledging Nurses Everywhere

PointClickCare has the privilege of working with some incredible nurses. Recently, in celebration of Nurses Month, we reached out to our Pulse Community to ask them to nominate a nurse to celebrate. Here are just a few of the stories we received celebrating nurses who go above and beyond the call of duty.

Committed to Caring for Others

At Hillcrest, customer Joyce Williams, Rehab Coordinator/Physical Therapist Assistant, nominated a nurse she had a personal connection with because of her mother. Joyce mentioned that nurse Jolene Custer, is dedicated to all of her residents. “Jolene has such a personal, caring approach as she cares for her residents, she is such a team player with all staff and always is lending a helping hand with a smile along the way. She was an LPN who worked and went back to school to become a RN.” She also told us that this particular nurse is the reason she sent her mother there for care in her remaining years. “Jolene’s dedication was the main reason I placed my mother under her direct care when she was transferred across state and over to our facility. Every day, I see Jolene give attentive care and treat all the residents as family. She and the other staff loved my mom for the last three years of her life and helped us through those last days with dignity and support! I love all our nurses, but Jolene will always hold an extra special place in my heart for who is she and how much she truly cares for our elders!”

Similarly, Privacy Support & eHCR Special Project Coordinator, Yin Kam, chooses to celebrate Julie Kwan for her commitment to others. “Julie is an outstanding manager and nurse and, in addition to performing her job at an exemplary level, she demonstrates an extraordinary commitment to staff, the organization, and the residents.” She also said that her commitment inspires others to do their best every day. “Her leadership has made significant contributions and improvements to the organization. Julie’s commitment inspires me to improve my knowledge and skills to provide greater services. Her skills, knowledge, and dedication make her worthy of recognition every day.”

Staying Positive During Good Times and Bad

The pandemic has been hard on all our customers, and as we have seen, healthcare providers like nurses have been through a lot. Cyndi Howell, Lead RNAC/PCC Clinical Liaison at Willow Valley Communities says that’s one of the reasons she wants to celebrate nurse Candy Gochenaur. Cyndi calls Candy an inspiration to everyone around her because of her constant positivity, something that was more than appreciated the last few years.“ Through the pandemic, Candy has graciously worn many different hats and is always willing to help others. She’s an amazing teacher, bringing enthusiasm and humor to the classroom, making everyone feel comfortable and appreciated. She deserves so much more credit than she gets!”

Teresa Hillman, Business Office Manager at Good Shephard Lutheran Community, says staying positive is always important for nurses, which is why she is choosing to celebrate Renee Ruhkamp, to let her know how much she is valued. “Renee has been a part of our team since 2015 with a short break in between. Renee is always willing to help out when she can and is always positive. She is a great teacher and caregiver, and we want to thank her for all that she does!”

Continued Learning of Nurses

Many nurses also continue with their education long after starting to practice. That is the case with Nurse Tara Ruano-Esquivel, who is acknowledged by Jacqueline Larson, EHR Clinical Documentation Specialist at CSC. Jacqueline said that Tara’s perseverance in reaching her personal and professional goals deserves to be celebrated. “Tara works a full-time job, has five kids, and is now graduating with her BSN! It is very impressive. I know she struggled to get there, but she has also sacrificed a lot for her family. Obtaining her BSN was a goal that she wanted both personally and professionally and she did it. I’m very proud of her for the sacrifices that she has made for her family and for having the strength to complete this for herself.”

Another nurse who went back to school is Jennifer Phillips, who was nominated by Jason Hill, Administrator in Training, IT Director at Fireside House. Jason tells us, “Jennifer has been with us since 2006. She is our MDS coordinator and when she was an LPN she also went back to school to get her RN degree.” He says that she is someone who is always willing to lend a helping hand, making her a fantastic nurse and a great person to be around. “Jennifer, or JP as we call her, is always willing to help out. She cares for all of our residents and leads staff. With all of the nursing shortages, JP works any shift we need covered. Her knowledge in the areas of MDS is incredibly valuable to our facility and she even stepped up to the plate and helped out our sister facilities when they did not have coverage in those areas!”

Congratulations to all the incredible nurses above, and to nurses everywhere. We can’t thank you enough for your continued support and dedication to helping others.