Epworth Villa: Skilled Nursing Care

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Are you looking for skilled nursing after a recent hospitalization? Epworth Villa is a great place for you. A place to build strength, increase independence and nurture the mind, body and spirit. Here you will find a dedicated staff of therapists, an essential part of a quick and speedy recovery. The therapy team specializes in Post-Stroke care and Post-Orthopedic Care; though people come here for a wide range of reasons. The team focuses on planning around individual needs and personal goals to develop a plan of care with building strength, increasing independence and nurturing the mind, body and spirit.
One of the excellent nurses that I had the privilege of meeting is Karlie Seymour. Growing up in Yukon, OK, Karlie went to nursing school at Canadian Valley Tech in El Reno. She has been a nurse for almost 2 years and has been at Epworth Villa for 5 months. Working in the Skilled Nursing Care area, Karlie enjoys working with the patients. “I enjoy the bond that develops between the patient and me. In any case, I like to follow up with the patients and see how they are doing. There’s just something special about the bond that one develops.”
Asking Karlie what qualities make a good nurse, she said, “A nurse needs to have empathy, putting myself in the patient’s shoes and trying to know how the family feels. Sometimes, there is so much uncertainly on the patient’s part but I always try to meet them at their level. On a personal note, I have been through some rough times myself so I feel like I can relate to them a little better than some,” she replied. “Of course, a nurse needs to have knowledge of the medical skills too,” she added.
Did anyone influence you to become a nurse? I ask Karlie. “Both of my grandpas passed away from cancer. I was there when the nurses from Hospice were taking care of them in their last days. It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a nurse; that person that was there for someone if they didn’t have anyone else. I wanted to be the person that could advocate for them. I always wanted to help people in some way. That is why I like being a nurse,” she replied.
According to Karlie, her biggest asset is making sure everyone is having a good time. “I like to make people happy,” Karlie said. “I want to make sure they are having a good time while they are here and I want them to enjoy themselves. Sometimes, I sing to the patients and dance for them, making them laugh. Since I work in the skilled care unit, so many of the patients will be here for quite a while and this is their home for a while. After they leave here, they go back to their house, or a long term care facility. Either way, I want them to remember being here and remember having a good time. We sing and dance and just have fun! That is even good for them while they are healing, whether it is mentally or physically. Just having a good time and being happy can build up their strength,” Karlie said.
Karlie can be a leader and a follower. I can be a great leader and sometimes, that can be a problem for me. I need to learn how to delegate better. If something needs to be done, I am all about doing it myself, knowing that someone else can do it. I need to learn to trust my co-workers that they are capable of doing their job. I just need to back off and know that they can do it. Teamwork can be very important but it takes everyone to communicate. Communication is the key word,” Karlie said. “Trusting your co-workers builds a good relationship,” she added.
Karlie’s hobbies include spending as much time as she can with her 3 year old daughter, Lucy. I am very close to my family; especially my sister and we have that sister-time, hanging out together. I guess that is my main hobby; spending time with my family.”
What are your words of wisdom that you would like to share? I ask Karlie. “My words of wisdom are trust your gut. If you have a feeling something is wrong, go with that feeling. Just don’t give up, dig into the situation to find out what is wrong. Go with that feeling! You are usually right!”