Amid Many Possibilities, Avera Nurse Finds Her Niche
Krista Olson, RN, knows all about changes for the better. It’s a built-in part of her career.
“From my first day, my leaders listened to me,” said the clinical care coordinator who works with Avera@Home in Mitchell, SD, based at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital. “I’ve been a home-visit nurse, a case manager and in my current role. At each step, I have been heard and have found things that fill my cup.”
Olson completed her nursing degree in 2017, and like many RNs, she wasn’t sure exactly where she’d fit in a large health system with many service lines.
“When you’re a new nurse, you’re ambitious, considering emergency, surgery, critical care and departments like that,” she said. “Good leaders can guide you, and I’ve had them.”
She said Nathel Cody, the Avera@Home Regional Operations Manager she worked with for five years, pushed her – and heard her. “She made sure I was taking care of myself and wanted me to be the best version of me at home and at work,” Olson said. “She was so strong and I gained insight on my own strength from her.”
Her current manager, Jeanette Voorhees, keeps reminding Olson of how powerful kindness can be. “She’s the type of person who asks about home and family before work,” she added. “She really shows you that family is important – and she’s taught me so much.”
Learning as you go, getting the right training and having someone listen to your “wish list” – and help you get there: These aren’t some cheery set of slogans. Avera nurses live them out daily, Olson said.
But there’s more to it.
“Not every health system encourages you to pray with patients,” she said. “When you see the comfort in their eyes as you pray, it’s amazing.”
She also appreciates:
- Competitive salary and benefit programs like a free Employee Assistance Program
- Leading-edge technology and equipment she can put to use every day with each patient
- Easy-to-use training and resources that help her improve her skills and knowledge
“I’d say the most important thing is the little ‘mini family’ we have as a team,” she said. “We protect each other – like family does – and it feels like home.”
Setting and Achieving Goals in Nursing
When Olson began her career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN), she served with an Avera surgery team at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. She left that facility as she completed her RN degree. She had ideas about a “dream job.”
“I really liked hospice,” she said. “Working in labor and delivery was my second choice. But then, we moved to Mitchell.”
New to the community, she sought jobs, talked to new friends and explored nursing opportunities. She found a role with Avera@Home, as a home-visit RN.
“That taught me to consider all the possibilities,” she said. “I’ve never felt ‘stuck’ even when I wasn’t exactly where I hoped to be.’”
Her progress from home visits to other roles offered unique rewards and challenges. “Some nurses who have never worked in clinics imagine it’s pretty easy, but it can be just as demanding as a full emergency room or busy ICU,” Olson said. “Home care has its own trials and rewards.”
She always enjoyed how welcoming her Avera teams were. “It’s something customers, patients and families, know, but employees do, too,” she said. “People really want to help you. It’s genuine.”
Olson was part of the 2021 Avera Rising Nurse Leaders program, and it gave her valuable leadership lessons and tools she could use.
“It’s an amazing program, and taught me a lot about active listening, problem-solving and conflict resolution,” said Olson. “We had many leaders speak during Rising Nurse Leaders, and they were so honest. They showed vulnerability. The made my drive to grow stronger.”
Comprehensive professional training like the program reinforced lessons she’s learned over hours in homes and face-to-face with many other nurses.
“Avera is flexible. They want you to find your niche and reach your goals,” Olson said. “We all know the value of good RNs.”
Tools, Trust and Peer-to-Peer Support
Working with teammates new to Avera, Olson knows the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere.
“I’ve had conversations with nurses who came here because they felt stuck in another location,” she said. “Our new nurses trust us, but how we try to help them advance.”
Avera has many nurse residency programs, with a focus on professional development. "RNs can go beyond licensure and gain national certification," said Olson. "When you do, you're showing the knowledge, skills and accomplishments you have make a difference."
Many Avera RNs earn national nursing certification in more than 20 specialty areas, and reimbursement funding for expenses is available.
Continuing education opportunities include roles in:
- Avera’s Nurse Governance Council
- Nursing research
- Professional Nursing Achievement Programs
Development opportunities are great, Olson said. What’s better is the singular focus of everyone from the newest RN to the Avera CEO: patients.
“You can focus on the patient who is in front of you and not worry about other stuff,” she said. “The trust of that patient is priority.”
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