Making a difference with compassion and respect

The year of the nurses. For the past months, nurses across the county have shown compassion and commitment to their careers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Rita Morris, one of the many dedicated nurses at Consulate Health Care, went above and beyond to help her coworkers at Bonview Rehabilitation and Healthcare to ensure their residents and staff’s safety.
Acting as an infection preventionist and wound care nurse can be challenging. Rita, however, brings with her a smile and a bright, positive attitude every day. Since her youth, she always wanted to be there for the people around her whenever she could. As a nurse, she is able to do that daily, and she is committed to consistently showing up to help whenever she is needed. “I hope I can make a difference in someone else’s life each day, resident or staff,” Rita said.

Known for her positive attitude, Rita was nominated for the CHIRP spotlight by one of her residents’ family members. They described her as a nurse who goes above and beyond to ensure their residents and staff are cared for. “No matter when you call her, she will be there for you,” they said. Her compassion and respect for others drive her every decision, making her truly an asset to the Bonview community.

Although it is clear that Rita embodies all Consulate’s core values and puts them in practice each and every day, there is one that stands out to her: respect. Valuing those around you and respecting them is the most important part of a nurse’s job and being able to work in a team is essential. Rita excels in that. She believes that being open to listening and learning from those around her is critical to do her job successfully. “In every situation, you can learn from others; it doesn’t matter their position or background, you can always learn,” Rita said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rita went above and beyond to maintain her residents and coworkers safety. She says the past year brought hard and challenging days, but being there for her residents was all that mattered. Also, 2020 was the year that Rita got her bachelor’s degree in nursing. As she explained, it was the year of the nurses. Even though she doesn’t know what the future holds for her, she wants to keep caring for people.

Family is one of the most important parts of Rita’s life. Due to social distancing guidelines, she had been brainstorming creative ways to stay connected with her family. Meanwhile, she has her family at Bonview Rehabilitation and Healthcare. We are incredibly thankful to have such an attentive and giving individual in our Consulate family. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to the residents, Rita!