BY LINDA MCINTOSH, San Diego Union-Tribune
Seever, a registered nurse since the 1980s, has served in a wide variety of health care roles for more than 30 years, and was recognized for her selfless efforts helping numerous BrightStar Care clients recover and heal from a wide range of chronic diseases.
Seever oversees BrightStar Care’s clinical operations and quality of care along with providing in-home nursing care for many patients who need continuing care after they are discharged home from the hospital. Often, the client’s family members are unaware of how to administer medicine and are unable to transport their loved one to and from hospital visits to receive injections, infusions and other critical medical services.
“That’s where Tina steps in with home care. She administers care from the comfort of a person’s home, which helps lower hospital readmissions and ensures that more seniors and those in need of care, can recover safely at home,” said Dan Sweiger, owner and president of BrightStar Care of Carlsbad.
“During a time when many health care workers are leaving the field, Tina remains dedicated to nursing and advocates for home health care to be a primary form of health care. From the day Tina came into our life, she has consistently given so much of herself, over and over again, with the true devotion that only comes from someone driven by a higher purpose,” Sweiger said.
Seever was described as the “most dedicated nurse” recently by the family of an elderly Carlsbad woman she cared for during recovery from a heart infection that required months of intense treatment. The woman wished to stay at home instead of being treated in a nursing home.
Seever came to the 82-year-old patient’s home on Christmas Eve 2020 during the pandemic and started the twice daily IV infusion treatments needed for six weeks to treat the heart infection. She did this during the holidays over and above her full-time duties as nursing director for BrightStar Care of Carlsbad.
Several times during the treatment Seever was called during the night and was at the bedside within 20 minutes.
“There is just such a calm about her and the way she made mom and all of us feel cannot be described in words. She didn’t even know us, but she devoted the next six weeks to saving my mom’s life.” said the patient’s daughter Denise in the award nomination form.
Seever had always wanted to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and become a nurse. Her hospital-based work included medical-surgical, cardiac intensive care, oncology and emergency department roles. In post-acute settings, she served as director of nursing in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, hospice and care centers for folks with developmental disabilities.
“The daily ability to improve the lives of patients, and their loved ones, through our actions — to me, there is no higher calling,” said Seever.
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Carlsbad nurse Tina Seever was named National Nurse of the Year by BrightStar Care, a nationwide home health care franchise that operates across 40 states. Seever was selected out of hundreds of nominees across seven states to be the 2021 Western Regional Nurse of the Year by BrightStar Care. She and three other regional awardees were subsequently named National Nurse of the Year.Seever, a registered nurse since the 1980s, has served in a wide variety of health care roles for more than 30 years, and was recognized for her selfless efforts helping numerous BrightStar Care clients recover and heal from a wide range of chronic diseases.
Seever oversees BrightStar Care’s clinical operations and quality of care along with providing in-home nursing care for many patients who need continuing care after they are discharged home from the hospital. Often, the client’s family members are unaware of how to administer medicine and are unable to transport their loved one to and from hospital visits to receive injections, infusions and other critical medical services.
“That’s where Tina steps in with home care. She administers care from the comfort of a person’s home, which helps lower hospital readmissions and ensures that more seniors and those in need of care, can recover safely at home,” said Dan Sweiger, owner and president of BrightStar Care of Carlsbad.
“During a time when many health care workers are leaving the field, Tina remains dedicated to nursing and advocates for home health care to be a primary form of health care. From the day Tina came into our life, she has consistently given so much of herself, over and over again, with the true devotion that only comes from someone driven by a higher purpose,” Sweiger said.
Seever was described as the “most dedicated nurse” recently by the family of an elderly Carlsbad woman she cared for during recovery from a heart infection that required months of intense treatment. The woman wished to stay at home instead of being treated in a nursing home.
Seever came to the 82-year-old patient’s home on Christmas Eve 2020 during the pandemic and started the twice daily IV infusion treatments needed for six weeks to treat the heart infection. She did this during the holidays over and above her full-time duties as nursing director for BrightStar Care of Carlsbad.
Several times during the treatment Seever was called during the night and was at the bedside within 20 minutes.
“There is just such a calm about her and the way she made mom and all of us feel cannot be described in words. She didn’t even know us, but she devoted the next six weeks to saving my mom’s life.” said the patient’s daughter Denise in the award nomination form.
Seever had always wanted to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and become a nurse. Her hospital-based work included medical-surgical, cardiac intensive care, oncology and emergency department roles. In post-acute settings, she served as director of nursing in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, hospice and care centers for folks with developmental disabilities.
“The daily ability to improve the lives of patients, and their loved ones, through our actions — to me, there is no higher calling,” said Seever.