Mosaic Nurses Rock!
It’s National Nurses Week (May 6-12), and Mosaic’s theme for the week is “Mosaic Nurses Rock!”
While having diverse backgrounds and entering nursing for different reasons – from choosing a second career to having a childhood dream – a common theme for becoming a nurse at Mosaic and staying is the connections made with people served and other staff members.
Unlike many other areas of nursing, at Mosaic those relationships can continue for years, because Mosaic provides long-term services and supports.
“One of the things I really love about my work at Mosaic,” said Judy Neumeyer, a nurse at Mosaic in Central Iowa, “is that I get to be with people over the span of their lives, through all of their ups and downs, goods and bads, through their health care crises, and even at the end of life. I get to be with them during those moments as well, ensuring that they have the best possible care, and the best possible opportunity to have comfort and joy in their lives.”
“I’ve had different experiences within the healthcare realm but Mosaic always calls me back because of the opportunity to connect with our individuals,” said Reesa Vice, a nurse at Mosaic in Central Nebraska. “I’m not rushing from room to room. I get time to develop relationships with those individuals. Some of these individuals I’ve known for 10 years, and I love just seeing how they develop in their lives.”
For Abigial Marcial-Wonn, a nurse at Mosaic in Rockford (Illinois), the work is personal because she has a brother with autism. It shapes how she interacts with people.
“I care for them like they’re my family member,” she said. “We’re only as good as we are to other people.”
Marcial-Wonn notes that, like any job, there are also challenges. But the positive aspects outweigh all of those, she said, because the relationships are life-giving, in sometimes surprising ways.
As an example, one man who was non-verbal came to Mosaic and needed to be fed with a tube into his stomach. As his nurse, Marcial-Wonn was the first to interact routinely with him so she could then teach staff what to do. Every time she walked into the room, he signed something, which she learned was the word “happy.”
“They’re just so sweet, you come in, and they’ll make you smile,” said Ali Pudenz, a nurse at Mosaic in Western Iowa.
Pudenz had been filling shifts at Mosaic through a staffing service, but when a full-time position became available, she jumped on the opportunity. The people served are what led her to Mosaic, but she had also come to appreciate the variety of work her job offers.
“I can be in the office one day and then another day go up and assess someone,” she said. “It is not like I am doing the same thing every day. That’s the fun part of it.”
Mosaic nurses’ work is wide-ranging. Much of it revolves around providing critical healthcare services to people served and advising staff about how to support peoples’ health. They’re also integral team members, helping to shape how the organization approaches healthcare and peoples’ needs.
“I’m really proud of the influence we’re able to have both with the individuals and with the organization,” Neumeyer said. “Nurses are valued at Mosaic.”
But the job is not for everyone.
“If you’re not here for the right reasons, it is a challenging job,” Vice said. “If you’re here for the right reasons, it is the most rewarding job you can have.”
Rock on, Mosaic nurses!