CAREERS IN NURSING: DON – STAYING ON TOP OF THINGS – THE GRAND

Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

Grace Living Center, the Grand is located in Bethany, OK. Here, you will find a friendly staff and highly qualified nurses. Staying on top of things is Blake Quintero, LPN and Assistant Director of Nursing. “I manage over the Skilled unit here at the Grand. My first job as a nurse was working at a facility for Long-term care. I helped the patients live as independently and safely as possible when they could no longer perform everyday activities on their own. I’ve been a nurse for a total of seven years and here at the Grand for five years. I like caring for the patients. We really get to know each patient on a personal level,” Blake said. “I like seeing the patients happy and knowing that we are all here to make them feel better, making their day a little brighter. Sometimes, we just need to listen to what they have to say. Sometimes, it’s just a kind word or a smile and it makes both of us feel better,” he added. (story continues below)

Growing up in Burns Flat, a town located in Western Oklahoma, Blake attended Hobart High Hchool, and Western Technology Center for his LPN. “I remember my grandmother had a big influence on me becoming a nurse and I always noticed how much she cared for other people. I think that is why I always wanted to be a nurse, wanting to be just like her, giving a little extra care to others. I feel like I owe a lot of it to my grandmother and that is why I have a deep desire to serve others,” Blake commented.
Asking Blake what qualities makes a good nurse, he replied, “I think a nurse needs to have plenty of compassion, be very reliable, have medical knowledge and skills and have a warm heart. I think every nurse will find that they have all of those qualities if they know that is the right profession for them. A nurse needs to continue to learn all they can in the medical field, moving forward with their education as much as they are able. Being in the medical field is such a respectable job. I also think that a nurse needs to be a team player. Team work is very important and everyone needs to do their part in working together.”
“When I was in nursing school, my instructors were wonderful. They were my mentors and always had some encouraging words for me. I also have a cousin and an aunt that are nurses and they gave me encouraging words too,” Blake said. “Going through school was rough but at the end, it was definitely worth it. It’s hard work but when you become a nurse, it is the most rewarding job you will ever have. It is a beautiful profession and it has so many opportunities in different areas. There is always job security, no matter where you travel.”
Blake has been recognized for his outstanding work by receiving the awards for mentoring others in a nursing program, receiving the Leadership award and the Champion of Change award. Blake is definitely a leader and continues to lead others by example, giving it all in caring for the patients.
Blake is currently single and doesn’t have any children. Blake’s hobbies include working out at the gym, traveling when he can, reading a good book and spending time with his dog. “I call my dog my baby. My baby is a pit-bull and goes by the name of Karma. I’m not sure everyone would agree on baby,” he laughed.
How has the Coronavirus changed your life over the last months? “It really limits my ability to see my family and hang out with my friends. I want to travel the world someday and right now, all of that is pretty much put on hold. I know that this pandemic is rough on all of us but we just have to adjust to the social distancing, washing our hands constantly throughout the day and sanitizing everything. Of course, we take every precaution, making sure our patients are safe. We wear masks all the time here at work, and even though the masks are hot and we don’t like wearing one, I have gotten used to it now,” Blake said.
When I asked Blake to sum up his life in one word, he said, “that word would be blessed.”