Here at St. Francis, our mission is simple: Provide superior long-term nursing care and physical rehabilitation services in a welcoming and home-like environment to foster improved quality of life for our residents.
Over the past 50 years, our highly skilled and compassionate team of nurses, caregivers and administrators have helped us do just that. It’s their commitment to personalized patient care that has earned us recognition as a US News Best nursing home in Detroit.
In an effort to recognize and thank our staff members for their contributions, we’ll be featuring people who embody our core values and go above and beyond to ensure our residents and their families receive the individualized care and attention they deserve.
Today, we’d like to introduce you to Valerie. Since starting her career at St. Francis as a nurse nearly 20 years ago, Valerie has been promoted to an assistant nursing director and MDS nurse. She now serves as our long-term administrator, and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of our nursing center.
In her role, she is responsible for ensuring our facility adheres to strict compliance regulations regarding the health and safety of our residents, and serves as a liaison between residents and their caregivers in an effort to educate family members and involve them in the patient care process.
Her kind, compassionate and caring nature, and previous experience as a nurse, has enabled her to build strong relationships with our residents and their families. The level of trust and rapport she has established with residents has enabled her to excel in her role and leave a lasting impact on our patients’ lives.
Some of her fondest memories include going out of her way to ensure patients have a connection with their loved ones. She recalls a time when she helped one resident throw a baby shower for their daughter. This particular individual was about to become a grandmother and wanted to be able to do something special for her daughter and soon-to-be grandchild. Valerie and her staff took it upon themselves to throw this woman a baby shower as a way to celebrate the new addition to her family.
This same patient also sadly lost her father. He frequently visited St. Francis to spend time with her, and it was important to Valerie that she had a chance to say her proper goodbyes. When he passed away, Valarie ensured she was able to attend her father’s funeral and provided a source of support during that difficult time in her life.
It’s moments like these that Valerie says are the most gratifying part of her job. Being able to connect with residents on a personal level and contribute to their lives in a positive way is what gives meaning to her work here at St. Francis Nursing Center.
Outside of work Valerie is actively involved with her church, where she sings in the choir. She also enjoys spending time with her loved ones and cherishes the memories they are able to build as a family.
The example Valerie has set is one that has been adopted by many other members of our staff, whom we look forward to featuring in future articles. We are very pleased to have Valerie as a member of our team and are grateful for her contributions and dedication toward our cause.
