Shore Medical Center at Chestertown recently welcomed six graduate nurses to the campus. For several of these nurses, they are embarking on a second career. Like many nurses throughout UM Shore Regional Health, their reasons for choosing nursing are as diverse as the opportunities within the field. The compassion necessary to care for a dying family member, opportunities for flexibility and the chance to make a difference in patients’ lives are some of their motivations.
Casey Sonzone, RN, recently completed an observation at a cancer center.
“End of life care is just as important as bringing in a life,” she says.” It’s rewarding to make the transition special for the patient and family.”
Katrina Gestole, RN, cites the variety of specialized options open to her in the nursing profession, such as labor and delivery, palliative care and emergency services, as being one of her biggest career choice motivations.
For Kelly Williams, RN, her motivation stems from her background as a former youth director as she looks to specialize in adolescent mental health. “This is a population that is often overlooked,” she says.
Dana Ladner, RN, who enjoyed working in the obstetrics area, admits there are unlimited opportunities in med/surg and would like to experience as much as she can. Her career goal is to become an OR scrub nurse. Jennifer Kane is undecided on her future specialty so she plans to use this time to learn as much as she can. Emma Zonetti, RN, a former Patient Care Tech, interned with a cardiologist and hopes to remain working within that specialty.
Mary Jo Keefe, MSM, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, is excited about the enthusiasm of the new nurses as well as their eagerness to continue learning. “We know that they will be an asset to our nursing team,” says Keefe. “They bring a wealth of up-to-date knowledge.”
All of the nurses admit that while nursing is very rewarding and exciting, there are challenges that are synonymous within the industry. One such challenge is the prevention of burnout, which all of the new graduate nurses look forward to avoiding by taking advantage of the continuous learning opportunities available within UM Shore Regional Health.
“Keeping your sense of humor – that’s definitely necessary,” adds Gestole.
In photo: Six new graduate nurses recently completed their orientation at UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown. Pictured from left to right are Dana Ladner, RN; Emma Zonetti, RN; Casey Sonzone, RN; Kelly Williams, RN; Katrina Gestole, RN; and Jennifer Kane, RN.