A former ballet dancer and mother of three boys, Jennifer Himes-Smith certainly knows how to stay on her toes. Jennifer graduated from UPMC St. Margaret’s School of Nursing in 2014 and is currently a Professional Staff Nurse on the 10E/W Acuity Adaptable Medical Unit at UPMC Montefiore. Though you may not see her doing pirouettes on 10E/W, her artistic history does give her a unique and personal way to connect with patients and their families. “I once spoke with the mother of a patient for several minutes about dance, because her daughters danced as children,” she said, “and sometimes I use my former career as a source of humor…such as when I’m tripping over things in a patient’s room.”
Prior to becoming a nurse, Jennifer taught ballet as well, “Although there isn’t a direct correlation between an artistic career and nursing, my experiences teaching young children to dance was about doing something I loved,” she said, adding, “When you love your job, like I love nursing, it doesn’t feel like work.”
Although there isn’t a direct correlation between an artistic career and nursing, my experiences teaching young children to dance was about doing something I loved.
Asked to describe what it’s like working on 10E/W, Jennifer replied, “Exciting. Fast. Challenging. Rewarding. General medicine encompasses all specialties. Most patients suffer multiple medical issues making [their] treatment and care complex. It’s not uncommon to see [one] medicine patient with consults from renal, cardiac, infectious disease, and psychiatrics! It’s the job of the medicine team to manage all of those opinions to ensure the best outcome for the patient.” With so many voices in the room, collaboration and critical thinking become that much more important; medicine floors take a multidisciplinary approach and nurses share voice equity in that process. What does that mean for a nurse like Jennifer? “Voice equity is having a say in patient care that is equivalent in importance,” she said. “Even if my opinion differs from another caregiver, it is considered and respected.”
When asked what led her to work on a general medicine unit, she explained, “During school I enjoyed many clinical rotations. General medicine was the only place I could gain experience in several areas on one unit.” Seasoned nurses had pointed her in that direction as well, expressing the value of working in medicine as a way to build a broad range of skills. “The most valuable skill I have gained [working in general medicine] is time management. I have also learned about drains, tubes, trachs, and wound care.” She added, “Those skills will follow me throughout my career.”
Before coming to Montefiore, Jennifer worked as a medication tech and nursing assistant at Cumberland Crossing Manor. Making the transition from a senior community to a medicine unit in a hospital was a big change, and debunked a common myth for Jennifer. “I have heard medicine units described as full of elderly patients with the flu,” she said, “the truth is general medicine is much more complex and intriguing. I have had patients ranging in age from 16-100, and I even cared for a patient suffering from an infection from a monkey bite!” She remarked that psychiatric patients with medical issues can be particularly challenging, in no small part due to the fact that medical problems can be seen and psychiatric disorders cannot. “Scans and tests provide a visual component to medical issues,” she said, “[With psychiatric patients] we need to understand the emotional and behavioral manifestations of the disease in a different way.”
Every day as a nurse is an opportunity to learn something new. My children also serve as motivation. I want to show them that growth and learning exists throughout a lifetime and does not end with a degree.
Jennifer is currently pursuing her BSN. She is especially interested in geriatric nursing and developing better standards of care for elderly patients in acute care settings. “Learning motivates me,” she said, “Every day as a nurse is an opportunity to learn something new. My children also serve as motivation. I want to show them that growth and learning exists throughout a lifetime and does not end with a degree.”
It’s not surprising that Jennifer approaches her life and career with such a graceful outlook. She was a dancer, after all.
