By Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer
As a child, Justin Jeffers dreamed of becoming rich and famous. Whether starring in movies, performing on Broadway or singing like the rest of his musical family, he imagined a life in the spotlight. Today, he has found something even more meaningful, a career dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others through compassion, kindness and laughter.
Justin has served at Mercy Hospital Logan County in Guthrie since October 2022. He also works shifts at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and Mercy Hospital Kingfisher, but says the smaller hospital in Guthrie offers something special.
“I’ve always enjoyed making people feel good about themselves,” Justin said. “I think smiles and laughter are just as important as medicine. I always tell my patients, ‘I promise I’m a very good nurse, but I believe laughter helps people heal.’”
Originally from northeast Missouri, Justin attended North Central Missouri College in Trenton before beginning his nursing career. His first nursing position was at Pleasant Valley Manor, a long-term care facility in Liberty, Missouri, where he spent 10 years caring for residents.
“Most of my career has been in geriatrics,” he said. “I love the elderly population. They have stories, and they are the keepers of history. I love sitting down and listening to their experiences because they’ve lived through things I’ll never experience.”
Growing up as one of eight boys had a tremendous influence on the nurse he would become. His mother, a registered nurse, taught her sons lessons that continue to guide his life today.
“She always told us, ‘Treat everyone with kindness because you never know when you’re entertaining angels,’” Justin said. “I’ve carried that with me my whole career.”
He believes nursing is about much more than medical knowledge. “You have to have empathy,” he said. “People are in the hospital during some of the hardest moments of their lives. If they’re grouchy, I don’t take it personally. I’d probably be grouchy too. You have to put yourself in their situation.”
Justin is known for doing the little things that make patients feel cared for. After attending cosmetology school following nursing school, he often cuts patients’ hair, trims beards and gently untangles long hair for those unable to care for themselves.
“I would hope that if I were ever sick, someone would be kind enough to help me shave, wash my clothes or fix my hair,” he said. “If my patients don’t have someone to do those things, then I will.”
Those acts of kindness have not gone unnoticed. Justin has received the prestigious DAISY Award twice during his time at Mercy. His first recognition came after quietly taking a patient’s clothing home to wash because the patient had no family nearby. His second award followed a nomination from a patient who wrote that Justin “treated my heart, not just my illness.”
“I don’t do it for recognition,” he said. “I do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
Justin describes himself as dependable and hardworking. “My strength and my weakness are actually the same,” he said with a laugh. “You’ll never hear me tell someone no. Even when I’m overwhelmed, if someone needs help, I’m going.”
His faith is woven into every aspect of his life. Raised in a Methodist home by a preacher father and parents who sang in a gospel quartet, Jeffers says those early years built the foundation for who he is today.
“I’ve prayed the same prayer every morning for 24 years,” he said. “I thank God for giving me a job and for giving me a body strong enough to work. Then I ask Him for wisdom, courage and knowledge to be the best nurse I can be, and I always ask Him to let me bring a smile to someone’s face.”
His close-knit family remains one of his greatest blessings. Whenever they gather, they often end the evening around the piano singing gospel music together.
“My mom raised her boys right,” he said. “She taught us to work hard, never judge people because you don’t know their story, and always treat others with kindness.”
Justin shares his home in Guthrie with his husband, Brian, and their two beloved 15-year-old Yorkshire Terriers, Charlie and Bayla. On his days off, he enjoys cleaning, organizing and decorating his home, even operating a small organizing business because, he says, creating order is relaxing.
Looking ahead, Justin has begun working toward his Bachelor of Science in Nursing and hopes to continue advancing his education. Yet no matter what titles he may earn, his greatest goal remains unchanged.
“I want people to remember me as someone who was kind, hardworking and just overall a good person,” he said.
After spending time with Justin Jeffers, it is easy to understand why patients, coworkers and families remember him so fondly. His compassion reaches far beyond medicine. Whether sharing a laugh, combing a patient’s hair or simply offering a listening ear, Jeffers lives out his belief that the best nurses don’t just care for illnesses—they care for people.
