When Medicare awarded Noble Horizons its highest 5-star rating, we were especially proud to be recognized for our staffing levels which exceed the industry standard. Providing extra hands to deliver exceptional care is The Noble Way.
Maintaining our high nurse to resident ratio, however, can be challenging in our rural, sparsely populated area, so we partner with several agencies specializing in nurse recruitment. Royalty is a nurse who discovered Noble in this way and the match between Noble and Royalty has been so successful that she has worked exclusively at Noble Horizons since November of 2019.
“I love the resident interaction and I wanted to help people. It’s so rewarding to develop relationships with the residents and know they trust me and look forward to seeing me.”
Royalty didn’t initially intend to be a nurse; her plan was to pursue an automotive career, however, the timing didn’t work out. While working as a medical assistant at a hospital, she was encouraged to explore nursing, and the more she learned about it the more it felt right to her. She decided to attend nursing school while raising her family and working, and after several years of juggling school, a job, and her daughters, she passed the state certification exam on November 7, 2019, and officially became a licensed nurse. Royalty is quick to credit her success to her children who she calls a ‘great team’. “It was challenging, but I did it, and my 17-year-old is an amazing help watching my 4-year-old.”
When asked about the demands on a nurse, Royalty confirms that she can work long hours and often misses a lunch break because she puts the resident’s needs before her own. Fortunately, when she works back to back shifts she can stay overnight in Noble Horizons’ guest room to avoid the long trip between Salisbury and Waterbury.
Every day is different in nursing which Royalty enjoys. Until she arrives at work she doesn’t know if she’ll be in Riga, Wagner, and Whitridge, which doesn’t faze her because it allows her to draw on her wide range of nursing skills. “Whitridge is more memory care; it is a lot different. Riga is more long-term care. Nursing skills are really needed.”
Royalty has been welcomed into the Noble Family and truly feels like she is respected. “Everyone from nurse managers, the Director of Nursing, Assistant Director of Nursing, etc. respect my opinion. If I make an assessment a lot of times I’ll come in the next day and it’s in place.”
Royalty acknowledges that this is a challenging time to be a nurse, but it has allowed her to sharpen her skills while she navigates the added challenges of protecting residents from COVID. To wind down from long days, Royalty loves spending time at home with her two daughters, relaxing or shopping with her 4- year old who helps her select the bright colored nursing outfits which brighten a resident’s day and for which Royalty is known and loved.