This is a landmark year for the nursing profession. In honor of 2020 marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, this year has been named the International Year of the Nurse by the World Health Organization, launching a year-long effort to celebrate the work of nurses.
We would like to take this time to focus on our great nursing staff and share with you, our community, a little bit more about our nurses. Since February is designated as American Heart Month, we thought it only fitting to introduce our Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab RN, Kendra O, the person who helps our patients take care of their hearts.
Kendra always knew she wanted to be in the medical field. Nothing else held her interest more than being able to personally connect with patients and help them achieve their goal to live a healthier life.
She enjoys the people she gets to work with and absolutely loves cardiac rehab, especially watching patients improve their exercise capacity and make lasting lifestyle changes that fit their lives. Most patients enter rehab thinking they are active enough; and Kendra finds it rewarding, educating, and fun to work with all of them.
Kendra has been married to her husband Patrick for 25 years and has three children, Sean, 21, Ella, 16, and Jack, 11. She is originally from Southeast Nebraska and moved to Chadron six years ago. Kendra received her Medical Assistant degree from Southeast Community College in Lincoln, NE and worked as a Certified Medical Assistant for nine years before returning to Bryan School of Nursing in Lincoln in 2000. She then worked for Bryan Health in Lincoln for 10 years in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Labor and Deliver and was a member of the PICC team. Kendra was also and EMT/FF and on the volunteer fire and rescue department for 18 years in her hometown in addition to being on Chadron's for three years. Cardio-Pulmonary is not the only area she lends her time and passion to, Kendra is also a Home Health and Hospice nurse and has been in that role for the past six years at Chadron Community Hospital.
In her spare time Kendra enjoys being outside and playing any kind of sport with her three children. She especially loves skiing, going on long walks, gardening, landscaping, refurbishing old furniture, and attending auctions.
Nurses endure long shifts, are often on their feet all day, and are the first line of defense for many patients. We appreciate the sacrifices they make to take care of us and our loved ones.