Sarah Colon Randolph was recently promoted to Nurse Manager in the Skilled Nursing residency of Kendal at Longwood. Sarah has been at Kendal-Crosslands Communities (KCC) for 16 years, and her husband, Jaymes, is also on staff in the environmental services department.
Working While Going To School
Sarah started working at KCC while she was in college. While going to college full-time to study nursing, Sarah was still able to work in the evening at Kendal, gaining experience as well.
What A Nurse Manager Does
Residents come to the skilled nursing area when they need additional care- sometimes that is after returning from the hospital and they need rehabilitation care after having surgery on knees, hips, or other orthopedic problems. Or residents might need additional support for a variety of other health concerns, and the staff needs to be able to manage the wide variety of needs.
Sarah’s job starts with reviewing any changes that are happening with residents and to prepare for rounds with the doctors. Also, she ensures she updates the family about any changes in condition or changes in care that are being made. There are 42 residents currently in the residence area, but they can have as many as 53, and Sarah is in charge of them all.
Continuing Education and Training
Sarah studied nursing at near-by West Chester University and would come back and help in both the personal care and skilled nursing units as needed. Staff education and training is important, and the tuition reimbursement benefits were helpful to her as she was going through school. She acquired additional certifications for wound care, which is important when dealing with an elderly population. “I’ve also been able to get additional certifications in geriatrics and have taken leadership programs as well. I really feel that people here care about me as much as I do them on a day to day basis.”
A Supportive Working Environment
The environment at KCC is always supportive. Sarah stated that “there are times when things get busy, or someone may be out for family leave, and the Director of Nursing will even step in and work as an aide when needed- everyone supports each other, and that helps make this a great place to work.”
Sarah stated that she had worked with many of the residents when they were in Independent Living, so she has good relationships with them before they have come to the skilled nursing section. “I think having these pre-existing relationships helps make the transition into skilled nursing much easier, because we already know and trust each other, and that helps make the resident- and their families- more comfortable,” Sarah stated. One of the current residents in the skilled nursing unit used to be the KCC nurse-manager for the unit. She gave Sarah her old staff ID badge, as a reminder of the continuity of care being so important here.
With that, Sarah received a message about a resident and needed to get back to the unit, where she makes sure her high standards of care are met by everyone, every day.
Interested in a Career in Health Services?
Sarah started working for Kendal-Crosslands while still in school and was able to take advantage of tuition-assistance benefits to make college more affordable. She found a supportive work environment and a place where she could develop relationships with the people she cares for every day. If you are looking for a rewarding job in health services, click the button below to see our current openings and discover whether a career at Kendal-Crosslands Communities could be just what you’ve been looking for.
