Nurse by day, student by night

Charles Rummens never thought he would be attending college alongside his daughter. But, 22 years after he started working at Consulate Health Care of Bayonet Point in Hudson, FL as a floor nurse, that is exactly what he is doing. Although Charles has had years of rewarding work while at Bayonet Point, he feels he has reached the point in his life where he is ready to keep striving for more. He is now going to college to finally get his bachelor’s degree, and it just so happens…so is his daughter.

When Charles began working at Bayonet Point, he was working in rehabilitation. He eventually worked his way over to long-term care, and has found that he loves it. Even though each day can seem like the last (he compared it to the movie “Groundhog Day”), he tries to make small changes each day to improve someone’s life. For instance, he said “I’ll bring someone coffee in the morning if I know that they’re not a morning person”.

For Charles, the most motivating part of coming to work is the family atmosphere. He said “The people, the building, it’s like a family here. Patients become part of the family.” He has seen many patients come and go, but still runs into many of them in the community. A majority of those patients still remember him, and it makes him proud of his work. “Some patients have come in bedridden and after treatment, they are able to walk out of the building.” There is just nothing more rewarding to him than knowing he had a part in that.

Charles can only smile when seeing the residents just enjoying life.  He once had to encourage a resident to be able come out to the dining room and be able to socialize. That resident now comes out regularly and it makes him feel proud. If he sees someone still wearing a hat from an activity, or enjoying birthday cake, it means they had a good day, and it puts a smile on his face. He truly enjoys seeing others happy.

Charles’s determination to make a difference in residents’ lives is what inspired him to go back to school. He wanted to face new challenges that would allow him to grow and continue to learn. Right now, his goal is to eventually get his master’s degree, but he is just focusing on each day. He tries to remain positive under the pressure of studying and working at the same time. He finds that his uplifting demeanor sets the tone for the entire building, and that it’s best to come in with a happy attitude, which wears off on his co-workers and his patients.  Charles believes that with the right attitude it is possible to “turn your vocation, into your vacation”.

Although juggling school and work can be challenging at times, Charles finds motivation in his daughter who is studying alongside him. He often feels the “crunch”, but he knows that with more information and education, he will be able to expand his knowledge and even better care for his patients. If he can communicate better with the doctors and the patients, he can do more to change lives.

Charles doesn’t just want to help his patients though; he has a strong desire to help his co-workers as well. He often takes his colleagues under his wing and offers daily motivation to them with not only his positive attitude, but also his experience. We asked him what tips or advice he has for other nurses and those in his field. He replied “Try to put yourself in your patients’ shoes. You need to understand that people can come from different backgrounds and have different personalities.” He suggests that if you just take a moment to listen, and try to understand each individual’s needs, you’ll be able to communicate with the patient and help them get better.

Charles shows the utmost compassion to everyone that he encounters. His empathy towards his patients and even his co-workers is what makes him so amazing at his job. He is a stand-up employee, and a wonderful person all around. We wish him the best of luck in his endeavors and look forward to seeing him succeed in the future.