A creative nurse’s response to physical distancing

When Director of Clinical Services (DCS), Eileen Wothers walked into Consulate Health Care of Vero Beach, in Vero Beach, Florida on Sunday, April 19th, she was surprised by what she saw. Eileen was coming in on the weekend to follow up on some work, and found her Assistant Director of Clinical Services, Loredana Powell, in the beauty shop on her day off, giving a haircut to one of the male residents. The gentleman was perched high up in his wheelchair, with a smile from ear to ear, so happy to have his hair neatly groomed. Then, Eileen “entered the lobby and saw several male residents wearing face masks,all six feet apart, patiently waiting for their turn. I could have mistaken it for a barber shop instead of our lobby and I could tell by the look in their eyes how special they felt.” 

That scene is a fitting depiction of Loredana Powell’s love for her patients and compassion as a nurse. She goes above and beyond in loving and giving to both residents and staff. In this case, she used her prior experience as a hairdresser to go the extra mile for her residents and patients. The distancing restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic have created new opportunities for nurses to care for residents, and this is just one example of the creative ways nurses have risen to the occasion. Eileen summarized it best by saying, “Wow, Loredana thought she was only giving haircuts, but by giving of her time and talents she gave the residents so much more. Through her compassion for others and an act of kindness, she gave them love, happiness, pride and hope for a better tomorrow.” That’s a prescription for success during COVID-19, and could only be accomplished by a passionate and dedicated nurse.

Loredana, who has been in healthcare for 14 years, said, “I love elderly people. I have a desire to make a difference and truly help people. I’m a natural caregiver.” She loves working at Vero Beach because “My skills are recognized. My DCS is insightful and puts my skills to use.” Loredana also mentioned that her DCS is great about helping Loredana strengthen some of her other skills, like using delegation as a tool to get things done. Loredana loves that she is continually learning at Consulate, and in the long term, she could picture herself becoming a DCS at Consulate.

After spending several years as a nurse in Montana, Loredana is happy to be back in her hometown of Vero beach with her three sons, who are in their early 20s. She loves the ocean, and particularly she loves deep-sea fishing. She is also an avid reader. For the time being, Loredana has her clippers, scissors, thinning shears and other grooming tools ready for another trip to the care center. More residents are asking about her haircuts, and she plans to dedicate another day to hairdressing and raising spirits through her generous service.