Finding Joy Every Day

The life of a CNA can be a tough one. Not only can caring for another be challenging, but managing to keep your head up and be positive no matter what kind of day you’re having can be hard. In order to handle a job this difficult, you truly have to be passionate about what you do. Carries Barnes is exactly that.

Carrie is a CNA as well as a GNA at Envoy of Denton in Denton, MD. She has been there just one year, but has already managed to be named Employee of the Month. That is not just because of her hard work, but because of the energy she exudes each day when she comes to work. We were able to feel Carrie’s energy even through the phone as we interviewed her. She is just that kind of bubbly, happy, and positive person.

You could say that Carrie’s upbeat personality is because she is young, and this is her first job in her healthcare career. But, we think this is just how passionate Carrie is about life and the lives of others. Carrie believes that this is her calling. She always knew that she wanted to work in healthcare, and as soon as she graduated, she applied for this job. She was eager to get started helping people and making a difference in other lives.

We asked Carrie what she likes most about her job. She said, “I love interacting with residents and families. Seeing the difference between when they came here, and the results after their physical therapy and their time at our care center is amazing”. Carrie really believes that each resident is family and she wants to see them get better, and find joy in each day. Many residents even confide in her as they often times refer to her as “the daughter they never had”.

One of the first patients that Carrie worked with when she first started as a CNA, passed away. This experience taught her a lot about what it means to be a CNA and how easy it is to become attached to her residents. Carrie cried a lot, and it made her realize just how much her residents mean to her. It’s not just how they feel about her, but how she also feels about them.

In addition to the many residents who have touched Carrie’s life, she also has some incredible co-workers and mentors.  Carrie learned from a specific co-worker how to wash a resident’s hair in bed, and many little tricks to help her. Now, Carrie is teaching those tips to new CNA students and it’s a great accomplishment.

Carrie plans to continue learning and growing and doing what she can to be an even better nurse than she is today. She hopes to go back to school to become an RN, but does also see herself staying at Envoy of Denton as an LPN. She is truly happy with what she does and wants to keep helping people get better.

We asked Carrie what she believes is the most important Core Value for a CNA. She said without a doubt, “Compassion. You need to love what you do. You have to love what you do…to show love”. We believe Carrie is right. We are so proud of her work ethic and upbeat attitude, and hope to continue to see her grow at Envoy of Denton. Thank you Carrie for your heart, energy, and your desire to help others!