Ginger, as we call her, has been a member of the rehab unit for over 10 years and an employee of Winter Haven Hospital for close to 20 years. During that time she grew from a new LPN to an RN with a passion for the geriatric population. She moved to the Rehab unit when the sub-acute unit closed transitioning into a new role with different expectations for patient care. Ginger provides consistent compassionate care to all of the patients on the unit. She helps all of her coworkers without being asked. She looks at the situation on the unit and does what needs to be done.

Ginger became certified in Rehabilitation Nursing 5 years ago and strives to be a mentor to both old and new staff. She takes new staff under her wing and helps older staff when they are struggling. Her goal is for all to succeed, ensuring compassionate, patient centered care for all on the unit.

When it comes to caring for the patients on the unit Ginger is always there, meeting the need at hand. She does what needs to be done to meet the needs regardless of the task which can be as simple as turn off my light to assisting an incontinent patient to providing emergency care to the critical patient. Her peers on the unit often say that if they were a patient they would want Ginger to take care of them.

Ginger is committed to excellent patient care, working with patients to ensure a successful stay and return of function leading to a more productive life after discharge. She gives hope to patients with severe functional deficits encouraging them every step of the way. Ginger always puts the patient first and tasks last. She gives of herself to ensure successful transitions for the patient and family.

Ginger is also very giving of herself with her colleagues on the unit. When she see a peer struggling she moves into the mentor role to ensure successful completion of tasks helping people feel good about themselves. Her strategies include review in a nonthreatening way, she helps the staff member struggling see the end product by presenting information in a nonthreatening manner, she digs the information out of the staff member she is mentoring helping them to see they really know the information.

Ginger also carries her skills into her own home caring for a relative who is on dialysis. She has taught all of the family members how to care for him, put him on and off the home dialysis machine, and care for his blood sugar. She also strives to help him feel as independent as possible allowing him the time and space to care for himself as much as possible.