All hands on deck

In the early 2000s, Christina Straight was faced with an extremely trying situation when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. Prior to this diagnosis, Christina had planned on a career as an accountant, but after taking care of her grandmother, she answered the calling to become a health care professional.

Once her passion was ignited, Christina’s determination drove her to quickly working her way up in the nursing profession. Beginning as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in 2005, and working her way through becoming a state tested nursing assistant and licensed practical nurse, she was given the opportunity to earn her registered nurse license when the company she worked for at the time supported her progression. Eventually she became an MDS nurse then became a director of nursing for a facility, which required many of tireless hours and it was a long commute from home and her four children.

Upon meeting the admissions director at Whispering Hills Care Center in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Christina immediately knew this was the move she’d been waiting for. She began her current role as director of clinical services (DCS) in June of 2015 and hasn’t looked back since. When asked what motivates her to come to work each day, Christina answered that she “enjoys being a nurse, but ultimately it comes back to my kids. My four children are my life and I work hard to show them that I can work and go to school, and that anything can be done.”

Christina’s favorite part about her job is helping other nurses to succeed, and the fact that she is able to learn something new from them each day as well. She describes Whispering Hills as a “family-oriented atmosphere” with an amazing team and the “best administrator she has ever worked for.” As the director of clinical services, she hired and now manages all nine nurses on staff and shares that some of them have even followed her to this care center after learning she would be the DCS. She says, “overall I love my job and the people I work with.”

While maintaining the belief that each Core Value  has significance, compassion is the one that she believes to be the most important. She says, “you have to have compassion to work [in this profession]. Without it, it would be difficult to make it through each day.” Working closely with residents reminds Christina to maintain this sympathetic perspective. In fact, she reminisced about several patients’ stories and shared fond interactions with a current resident with Down’s Syndrome. She said that “his smiling face reminds her and her staff why they are there each day.”

Should Christina ever choose to leave Whispering Hills, she’d like to be remembered for “being a team player.” She says, “I’m an all-hands-on-deck kind of person. With the team that we have here, we are able to take care of any job if someone is off.”

Christina, we thank you for the determination and compassion you show to our residents and each day, and appreciate your dedication to Consulate Health Care.