Employee of the Month
(Well Sort Of)
Bob Speelman and James Turner
August 19, 2022
NOTE: This was taken from the blog of Foundations Health Solutions leader Bob Speelman. Bob works closely and frequently communicates with our Foundations Health facilities. It is so inspiring to see how each care team embodies the vision of our founder and nursing home developer, Brian Colleran, to be "A Culture of Care."
When James Turner came to work at Glen Meadow, our Nursing Center in Hamilton, Ohio, just outside of Cincinnati, we hit the jackpot. James has only been a Nursing Assistant for a little over a year now and has already made an incredible impact on the residents at Glen Meadows and his fellow staff. James moved to Ohio from Missouri because he met the love of his life, Stephanie, and they are going to get married at the end of September.
Prior to moving to Ohio, James worked in Missouri for twelve years with the developmentally disabled. He told me he found the job very rewarding because he saw the difference he was making in the lives of his clients.
When James came to Ohio, he was hoping to get to spend more time with his dad, who lived in Canton, but shortly after moving here, James found out that his dad had lung cancer and didn’t have long to live. He spent as much time with his dad as he could, driving from the Cincinnati area to the hospital in Cleveland.
As I worked with James throughout the day and saw him interacting with the residents at Glen Meadows and the family members of the residents and his fellow staff member’s, I saw a young man making a difference and living out our Culture of Care. I said to James,
“you are so natural at this, I can’t believe you’ve only been a Nursing Assistant for just over a year.” James smiled and said,
“I love it. I love doing the little extra thing for my residents that really make them happy. It can be something as simple as putting together a bookshelf for them or changing the batteries in their remote. When I do those things, I think about my mom back in Missouri and if she ever would need a Nursing Home. I hope that there would be someone there that would do those things for her.”
James went on to tell me another thing he’s discovered from spending extra time with his residents and doing those little things he really gets to know them. So much so that when they aren’t acting right, he notices it right away.
He shared with me several examples of him noticing a difference in his residents. When this would happen, he would go get the nurse, and each time they sent these residents out to the hospital. Because of James the residents were able to be treated right before a major medical incident.
James has an amazing sense of humor and would joke and cut up with the residents and staff throughout the day. He told me he wanted to be Employee of the Month so bad every since be started at Glen Meadows. He told me he would buy coffee for the Director of Nursing and suck up to management in hopes of getting nominated. He laughed and said,
“When that didn’t work, and I noticed they hadn’t nominated anyone this month, and it was already a few weeks into the month, I decided this was my opportunity.” James said he printed out a picture of himself with Stephanie and her son and posted it on the Employee of the Month bulletin board. Everyone was coming up to James and congratulating him for being nominated and how deserving he was. He loved it!
James as Employee of the Month
Stephanie, Cameron and James
James – That is exactly what I witnessed today working with you. You went out of your way to make life beautiful for your residents and your co-workers, and we are truly blessed to have you on our team!
Bob Speelman, STNA