Every day, a growing number of dedicated nurses care for aging adults and people with complex medical needs inside their homes, administering daily medications, providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness, and managing personalized plans of care. To pay tribute to the specialized and tireless work of thousands of nurses throughout the network, BrightStar Care launched a national Nurse of the Year program to recognize the nurses who are working hard to deliver A Higher Standard of Home Care each and every day.
This year, our Director of Nursing Christina Bowling was nominated. Here is the nomination letter about Christina: I have had the pleasure of working with Christina since June of 2014 when my father and I took over this agency. We were immediately impressed with Christina’s people skills, patience and expertise. I expected that she would be knowledgeable and competent, but I was not expecting such a well-rounded individual. She truly cares about our employees and clients. Her actions and recommendations are always what is best for the client, even if it means that BrightStar Care is not the right fit for them. That is exactly the reputation that we want to have in the community, that we truly care about people. I quickly found that Christina is well known and has a great reputation in the community. The first time I met Christina, I walked in the office while she was sitting with a CNA and a client’s husband. The conversation was very lengthy, and Christina was extremely patient. I was impressed by her calm demeanor as well as her compassion. There are several examples with this client and family alone that demonstrates how Christina exemplifies a “Higher Standard of Care”. Knowing that the client’s months were numbered, we decided to do something special for her. Even with her dementia she would often comment that she did not have any friends. Christina, the CNA, our Sales coordinator, and the client went out to a “ladies” lunch. While it was good for the client to get out of the house, I think it meant more to our client’s husband. Christina took pictures and sent those to our client’s husband during the lunch. The client was in the hospital a month or two before she passed and Christina took time out of her Sunday to bring Girl Scout cookies and visit with her and her husband. During the last couple months, Christina continuously checked up on them even after they ended our services and had decided that a hospice center was best for her. This is just one client example of how Christina makes a difference in clients’ lives. I have been in many living room visits with her, and she has a way of making the family feel calm and that everything will be all right. She truly serves with passion and is proud of being part of BrightStar Care. Our Sales Coordinator loves to take her to presentations with social workers, case managers, etc. Christina is able to speak to the clinical side, but does so with such pride. She truly has a special quality that is seen daily by our caregivers, clients, and referral sources. I feel lucky to have her as a leader on our team.
This year, our Director of Nursing Christina Bowling was nominated. Here is the nomination letter about Christina: I have had the pleasure of working with Christina since June of 2014 when my father and I took over this agency. We were immediately impressed with Christina’s people skills, patience and expertise. I expected that she would be knowledgeable and competent, but I was not expecting such a well-rounded individual. She truly cares about our employees and clients. Her actions and recommendations are always what is best for the client, even if it means that BrightStar Care is not the right fit for them. That is exactly the reputation that we want to have in the community, that we truly care about people. I quickly found that Christina is well known and has a great reputation in the community. The first time I met Christina, I walked in the office while she was sitting with a CNA and a client’s husband. The conversation was very lengthy, and Christina was extremely patient. I was impressed by her calm demeanor as well as her compassion. There are several examples with this client and family alone that demonstrates how Christina exemplifies a “Higher Standard of Care”. Knowing that the client’s months were numbered, we decided to do something special for her. Even with her dementia she would often comment that she did not have any friends. Christina, the CNA, our Sales coordinator, and the client went out to a “ladies” lunch. While it was good for the client to get out of the house, I think it meant more to our client’s husband. Christina took pictures and sent those to our client’s husband during the lunch. The client was in the hospital a month or two before she passed and Christina took time out of her Sunday to bring Girl Scout cookies and visit with her and her husband. During the last couple months, Christina continuously checked up on them even after they ended our services and had decided that a hospice center was best for her. This is just one client example of how Christina makes a difference in clients’ lives. I have been in many living room visits with her, and she has a way of making the family feel calm and that everything will be all right. She truly serves with passion and is proud of being part of BrightStar Care. Our Sales Coordinator loves to take her to presentations with social workers, case managers, etc. Christina is able to speak to the clinical side, but does so with such pride. She truly has a special quality that is seen daily by our caregivers, clients, and referral sources. I feel lucky to have her as a leader on our team.