PASSION IN NURSING: GETTING IN TOUCH WITH PATIENTS – APEX HOME HEALTH

by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer

Apex Home Health was recognized and certified in 2007 by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as one of modern home-health care agencies which are scientifically measured and assessed to have high-quality home-health care services for promoting health and improving the quality of life. Medicare Certified Services includes Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology, Medical Social and Home Health Aide.
Meet Stephanie Vlot, LPN for Apex Home Health, who has been an LPN for 4 years. “Apex Home Health is the best organization to work for because we have that small company feel,” commented Stephanie. “They truly take care of us and it is a great place to work,” she added.
The small company feel of Apex Home Health reminds Stephanie of growing up in Moore, OK. “Back then, Moore was a small town, or so it seemed,” she laughed. “Because it was so small, I spent a lot of time going to Norman where I worked at Sterling House as a Health and Wellness Coordinator. From there, I was a CMA and then, I went on to be a LPN,” she said. “I had some really good instructors and I always looked up to them. They helped me so much and I will always be thankful for everything they did for me.”
Asking Stephanie what her favorite thing about her job is, she replied, “I love being in the home of the patient because it helps me develop a real relationship with them, allowing me to better care for their whole being. I love getting to know the patients on a one-on-one basis. On the other hand, we also have a few challenges. Sometimes, we have patients that we (health care professionals) just can’t help, whether it is due to lack of resources, disease progression, family dynamics, or even noncompliance on the patient’s part,” she replied. “It can make a health care professional lose sleep at night,” she added. “Well, I am speaking for myself.”
In your opinion, what qualities should a nurse have? I ask Stephanie. “The basics would be compassion, humbleness, common sense and investigative skills. Rarely do you get the whole story about a patient, so you have to, well, to put it nicely, do some digging. It all goes back to that one-on-one compassion between the caregiver and the patient. Never be afraid to learn something from your patients, other nurses, CNA’s, CMA’s, Activity Directors or even, the billing department! Always be willing to learn because every aspect of these titles has an impact on your patient. Also, that is why I call myself a fighter. I fight for passion and injustice, always rooting for the underdog and holding onto hope even when it may seem hopeless.”
On a personal note, when Stephanie was little, she didn’t want to be a nurse, like all the other little girls, or so it seemed. “Actually, I just knew I would grow up and be a singer or an actress. Well, I can’t carry a tune in a bucket and Hollywood isn’t ready for me yet,” she said. “I do have compassion and I am glad I am a nurse now, she added.
One of Stephanie’s hobbies has been very helpful for her. “I love to journal. A wonderful woman at church presented the idea during our Relief Society CARE meeting and it made a big difference in my life. It is also a great treasure to leave behind to my grandchildren one day.
Stephanie enjoys spending time with her husband and her three daughters, 13, 12, and 9 years old. “My husband is my biggest supporter and when I want to do something, he is there for me. He usually ends it with a yes honey.” My three daughters are wonderful and they all have their own personalities which makes them so different from each other. They are all really good girls. Then there are the pets; Molly, a 7 year old Boxer/Pit Bull, along with Tiger, the 1 ½ year old cat. The dog thinks she is a princess and the cat thinks he is a dog,” she said. “What’s wrong with this picture?” she laughed.
“I love being a nurse, and I am proud to work for Apex Health Care and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”