Healthlinks Upstate Jan/Feb 2019

48 | www.UpstatePhysiciansSC.com | www.HealthLinksUpstate.com LAURA NELSON, LPN Hospice of Laurens County, Laura Nel- son’s place of work, also happens to be the hospice service that her father used. She was with him when he passed away in his home. “He was diagnosed with lung can- cer a few years before I graduated nursing school,” she said. “Because of this experience with my fa- ther, I strive to offer peace to families during a difficult time,” she explained. She began her career in nursing as a director of nursing in an assisted living facility. After she graduated nursing school, she took an LPN position with Hospice of Laurens County, which is where she is today. She is currently attending Greenville Technical College and will graduate with her associate degree in nursing. She said that some people ask her how she works in hospice day in and day out. “Well, my answer is simple. Not everybody is cho- sen to work in heaven’s waiting room. I feel blessed to be allowed to. My plans are to continue to use the gift God has given me for as long as he allows,” she concluded. KRISTIN GONZALEZ, BSN, RN When Kristin Gonzalez started her nursing journey, she planned to work in labor and de- livery but actually began working on a medi- cal-surgical unit. Later, after she obtained her associate degree in nursing, she worked in post-operative, orthopedic and acute medi- cal inpatient care for 15 years. “I had gone to nursing school to be a la- bor and delivery nurse but never pursued the specialty,” she said. “Almost three years ago, I was ready for a change. I was given the opportunity to work on a labor/delivery/postpartum unit and I never looked back.” She said she enjoys every aspect of maternal/fetal nursing, labor, delivery, newborn care and even finding better ways to provide be- reavement care in the incidence of fetal demise. “I realize I am only a small piece of the puzzle, but I try to never take this career for granted,” she said. She is now an acute care nurse for the Family Birthplace Units of the Greenville and Palmetto Health Hospital Systems. “There are so many paths within this profession. You just have to be persistent and find the one that you’re passionate about,” she concluded. BUFFY BROWN DEMET, RN, BSN It’s a simple concept for Buffy Brown Demet, a clinical liaison nurse with Home- stead Hospice and Palliative Care, when speaking of why she wanted to become a nurse. “I have been a natural caregiv- er since the day I was born,” she said. “I have a deep love for people and desire to help all human beings achieve their high- est potential.” Since graduating from USC Spartanburg with her RN, BSN in 1998, Demet has worked in hospital nursing, school nursing, parish nursing, clinical practice, nurse education, clinical sales and mar- keting – and now in hospice and palliative care. “Hospice and pal- liative care is very feared and misunderstood,” she said. “My job as a nurse educator is to raise awareness and help alleviate fears and anxieties associated with end-of-life issues.” She actually graduated in 1993 with a BS in business and psy- chology. “I worked for my father for several years in his aviation business in Greenville, but I always had nursing on my mind,” she said. “I am extremely proud of my nursing degree,” she concluded. “Connecting with others is my God-given talent, and I am thankful for discovering the nursing profession.” T H E P U L S E O N UPSTATE NURSES HealthLinks Upstate wants to recognize nurses as the backbone of our medical community and thank them for all their efforts! JESSICA MILLS, RN, CEN, TCRN For Jessica Mills, an emergency trau- ma nurse at Greenville Memorial Hospi- tal, becoming a nurse was an ambition that started for her at a young age. Her father passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease when she was only 18 years old. “I became fascinated with medicine as I helped care for my dad,” she ex- plained. “I was by his side when he died only a year-and-a-half after his diagnosis. That experience confirmed that I was made to be in medicine.” Her intentions as a young college student were to go to medical school to become a trauma surgeon, but early on she changed her major to bible/religious studies and Spanish. She ended up teaching Spanish for a few years after college but then decided to go back to school for nursing. “I was drawn to emergency medicine,” she said. “I loved the fast pace and constant challenges.” Now as a trauma nurse leader, she teaches trauma courses to new nurses. “I advise new nurses to find their passion in the nursing world and pursue it every day to the best of their ability by researching, attending conferences and getting involved in organizations,” she concluded.