[Noozhawk’s note: First in a series.]
As part of National Nurses Month, Noozhawk asked a few local health-care providers to nominate a nurse from their teams to be recognized among Santa Barbara County’s most inspirational nurses.
This is a daunting task to be sure as there are so many nurses who deserve to be honored for the exceptional work they do every day to keep us healthy and happy. Here is a sampling of our brightest stars.
Shandy Newlan LVN
Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care
Shandy Newlan LVN is a longtime, dedicated member of the Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care team.
“She really exemplifies what it means to be a nurse,” said Mary Henderson RN, clinical manager at VNHC.
Henderson nominated Newman based not only on her dedicated, patient-focused work ethic, but on her determination to always go above and beyond to ensure her patients are cared for.
“She will often stop by at the end of a very busy day to check in on a patient, add some extra work days to her schedule to support her team members, and always communicates to the other nurses what has changed with a patient and what she did in her role to make the problem better,” Henderson noted.
Newlan first started thinking about becoming a nurse when her high school sweetheart and now husband was beginning his own studies in nursing — and she has been swept up in the world of nursing ever since.
Completing her nursing education through the Santa Barbara City College program, she then went on to begin her career of more than 23 years as a nurse at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Spending the past 17 years of her career at VNHC, Newlan has gained a reputation of “(inspiring) others to always keep the patient’s perspective in mind,” Henderson said, “and her quiet and gentle nature is so appreciated by both the hospice patient and their families.”
As a hospice care nurse, Newlan is able to create close, unique relationships with her patients and their families.
“In this field, people continue to touch me,” she explained. “The dying process is such a mystery to many people, and it is amazing to help guide patients and families on their journey.”
In the rapidly changing world of health care, she also noted that many nurses have such high demands placed on them that it can be difficult to really form the relationships and connections with their patients that they would like to.
“We are fortunate in the hospice world to have the time to spend with our patients and families,” Newlan said.
We Want to Hear from You
Throughout the month of May, Noozhawk will be celebrating the nursing profession and honoring those who have dedicated their careers to patient care.
In 300 words or less, tell us about a special nurse who provided you or a family member with superior care and comfort. Essays also can be submitted by a nurse’s colleagues.
Include the nurse’s full name, his or her hospital or medical facility, date of interaction, a photograph, and your own contact information, and email the submission to news@noozhawk.com.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Kellie Kreiss can be reached at news@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.