CAREERS IN NURSING: DESIRE TO CARE FOR ELDERLY – THE GRAND

Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Grace Living Center, The Grand is a skilled nursing facility that be critical for a speedy recovery. Located in Bethany, OK, they offer a variety of therapies and care services to help you regain your independence. Skilled nurses, therapists and licensed care professionals are available to guide you through your personalized therapy. -Grace Living Center-
To be a good nurse it takes special qualities like honesty, compassion and good moral standards. That is what you will find when you meet Amy Sullivan, LPN. Working at Grace Living Center in Bethany, OK, Amy has been a nurse for eleven years. “I work on the skilled hall and split the thirty bed hallway with one other nurse. I have been here at The Grand for only a few short months but I was able to bring my years of gathered experience with me. When I started here, I was welcomed as part of a team and it was evident that each person was recognized for their talents and knowledge. We are all working for the same goal; to take care of the patients in the best way that we can,” Amy said. (Story continues below)

Amy attended Canadian Valley Technology Center. “My first job as a nurse was with a long term acute care where I quickly learned that I have a special place in my heart for the elderly. I love my job and there is something special about caring for the residents. I seem to have a special bond with them and I feel like that is good for the both of us. Sometimes, just greeting them with a smile or asking them how they are doing is a great comfort to them,” Amy commented.
“I have always wanted to go into the medical field. My mom, dad, brother and cousins are all nurses. I guess that is where it seems to come natural to me,” Amy said with a smile. “I have always had a natural desire to help others and this is where I feel most comfortable. My biggest reward as a nurse is the feeling of knowing that I have helped someone by caring for them or just brightening their day. On the other hand, the biggest challenge is balancing work and home. My job and my family life are both important to me but like any job, we have to adjust our time so that it all works out in the long run.”
Asking Amy what advice she would give to someone going into the medical field, she replied, “I would tell them to be sure to know just what they are getting into. With the medical field, there are many options that they can take. Choose something that you are interested in and follow through with that dream. Once you get where you want to be, continue to learn and absorb all of the knowledge you can. Know that you are going to be responsible for people’s lives. You are responsible for someone’s life. This is not a job, it is a career. Being a nurse gives you many responsibilities. You have to learn your strong points and have strong teamwork, knowing that there are many people that are putting their trust into your hands. Being a nurse can have its good times and its bad times, but overall, the good time always seem to win.”
Amy considers herself a leader. “I try to be a good example for others. Being a nurse takes a lot of teamwork and that is what we have here. Each nurse is always willing to help each other out and that is what is important. There is no such thing as a typical day for a nurse. Each day is full of unexpected or last minute changes. We just have to be ready for the unexpected.”
Growing up in Texas, Amy relocated to Oklahoma as a young adult. “Now, with my husband of sixteen years, we have a thirteen year old daughter and a ten year old son. We live in Mustang, OK where we are surrounded by family and friends,” she said. “My hobbies include reading and exercise. My favorite thing is caring for all of our animals on our farm. We have dogs, cats, pigs and chickens. I love animals,” she explained.
To sum up my life, “I am a LPN, certified in long term acute care and I love what I do. I am proud to call myself a nurse at Grace Living Center, The Grand in Bethany, OK.”