Leading with compassion

Evette Clayton at Envoy of Lawrenceville, in Lawrenceville, Virginia, is not new to healthcare. In fact, she has spent the last 17 years working in the field as an LPN, floor nurse, MDS nurse, and most recently, unit manager. 

Her favorite part of coming to work each day is being a part of the team in the care center. She looks forward to arriving at Envoy of Lawrenceville because, “You know you are going to work with a group that loves what they’re doing, taking care of patients.” Clayton continued, “You can see each teammate helping one another.”

During coronavirus, Clayton said video chats have helped to keep loved ones in touch with the patients. She said the calls can get very emotional, because some of the patients don’t understand why they can’t have visitors. That’s when Clayton takes the opportunity to comfort residents as she would do with her own family members.

Clayton loves to learn from her older residents. “They are always teaching me something.” She was particularly thankful to a recent patient, an educator who shared her teachings and experiences during Black History Month. You might get a sense that Clayton also likes to educate and teach too. In her free time, Clayton is a nature enthusiast who enjoys gardening and birdwatching. She is eager to share those passions with the patients, and is hoping to bring hummingbird feeders to the care center so the residents can also enjoy and learn more about their natural surroundings.

The job as unit manager isn’t an easy one. Every day is busy, and the day we talked, Clayton was getting everything ready for the providers who would be making virtual visits. Based on her success, she shares advice for others working as unit managers. “Be open minded. Everyone has a voice, and you need to listen. Always be willing to assist your team. If the CNAs need help, managers need to assist with bathing residents. Work smart and work together.”

Thank you, Evette, for sharing your passion and compassion with staff, patients, and everyone with whom you come into contact. We appreciate you and your extraordinary teammates for being our healthcare heroes.