By Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer
Enlivant Senior Living is about living, fully and passionately. Being part of a welcoming, vibrant community. Enjoying a sense of fun at every age. Thriving in mind, body, and spirit. – Enlivant Senior Living –
Here, your loved one will be taken care of with the utmost care. One particular nurse is Natasha Normand, RN, BSN. She is the Oklahoma/Kansas Regional Care Specialist for Enlivant Senior Care. She has been a nurse for almost seven years and has been with this facility for two year. “I have grown up with a fascination with science and the medical field. I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. I am a very empathetic person and have always wanted to help take care of people, especially our vulnerable population of the disabled and elderly. I grew up in Hammon, Oklahoma, a small western Oklahoma town. My mother was disabled with Epilepsy. That is when I took on a caregiver role. I believer the dynamics that I was raised in helped me become the nurse I am today,” Natasha commented. (story continues below)
“I work for Enlivant Senior Living because in our communities, we are able to offer our residents their independence as much as possible. Doing this helps our residents live full lives in the communities, offering our residents their independence as much as possible. Our company also offer Age in Place where we meet their care needs as they age and they are able to live out their lives and make the communities their forever home.”
Natasha is the Regional Care Specialist for nine Assisted Living/Memory Care Communities. She sees herself as a leader. “I have been Director of Nursing in skilled facilities before becoming a Regional Care Specialist. My leadership style is to collaborate with my peers to come up with a solution. I am also a big advocate in continuing education with my employees,” Natasha commented.
Natasha attended school at Oklahoma City University Kramer School of Nursing. “It was an excellent BSN program. The program really prepared me for entering the healthcare field,” Natasha said. “My days are usually pretty busy. I am in a different community almost every day,” she said. “I offer any nursing support the community and residents need. I perform nursing assessments for our residents and communicate with their physicians. I assist in the admission process with any potential of new residents and their families. The admission team tries to make the transition of moving into one of our communities as smooth as possible.”
Asking Natasha what advice she would give to someone going into the medical field, she replied, “I would tell anyone, being a nurse is the most rewarding job you will even have. But, I can also say that it is the most difficult and thankless jobs you will ever have. I would make sure to tell them to have an open mind and an open heart. Also, be sure to wear comfortable shoes,” she said with a smile.
I asked Natasha to describe herself. “I am passionate about being a nurse. I feel like it is a privilege to be a nurse and be trusted to take care of their loved ones. I enjoy what I do for the communities’ residents. Knowing what I do for each one of them really motivates me when times get rough especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. I am a very empathetic person and I always strive to be an advocate for all of our residents. I also do my best to be a support for my fellow nurses,” Natasha said. “I am naturally a workaholic and I want to help everyone. My biggest challenge is work/personal life balance; that is something I am trying to improve on.” There were several people that influenced Natasha to go into the medical field. “My maternal grandfather always supported me to pursue a career that I would always be able to be employed and a career that I could grow in. Also, my mother taught me hard work, independence and to be ambitious. I do feel her teaching made me stronger as a person. I have always strived to do my best in anything I did, which lead me to nursing and the career path that I have taken,” Natasha explained.
When not working, Natasha enjoys watching movies, makeup, and participating in animal rescues. She has three cats, Sassy, Bruce and Loki.
Summing up Natasha’s life in three words, she said it would be, “Fulfilling, busy and grateful.”