HealthLinks Upstate May/June 2021

64 | www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com MANDY WILSON, LPN Mandy Wilson has vast experience in different aspects of nursing. In her 16 years as a nurse, she has worked in the hospital setting, mental health and drug rehabilitation, as well as home health. She is now the wellness director at Oakview Park Senior Living. “Nursing was a calling for me,” Wilson described. “I am passionate about helping others and helping families navigate the difficulties of today’s health care system.” Her advice to new nurses is to be open-minded: “Be open to learning new things from everyone that crosses your path. Know that you will never know everything and that you can learn something from everyone.” Wilson has two sons – Kalbe, age 21, who attends Clemson University, and Garrett, age 13, who attends Lakes and Bridges Charter School in Easley. JACLYN PURCELL, BSN, RN, CCRN Life experiences contributed to Jaclyn Purcell’s interest in pursuing a career in nursing. For one, her sister experienced a horrible car accident when Purcell was young. She said her sister was in the hospital for several weeks and that when she came home, Purcell helped care for her while her parents were at work during the summer. In addition, Purcell later watched her grandmother battle terminal brain cancer. “I watched the nurses care for my nana, and I loved seeing them have so much compassion for her. They gave her a dignified death and made the experience special to me. I knew I wanted to be there for others the way those nurses were there for us and my grandmother in such an intense time,” she said. Now, as a critical care nurse for Bon Secours St. Francis, Purcell said that what drew her to that specialty was the fast-paced environ- ment and being detail-oriented. “I am always mesmerized by the most complex and intricate cases. Critical care can be a very emotional area for both patients and patient families,” she explained. T H E P U L S E O N UPSTATE NURSES BRENDA ROMAN, LPN Working for Kudzu Medical Staffing Agency in Powdersville has offered Brenda Roman many opportu - nities. She typically fills in at long-term care facilities and inpatient detox centers. “Both areas are diverse. I enjoy taking care of the geriatric residents, whereas addiction is such a complex condition. I really enjoy the variation and the different aspects of their care. Every day is a new experience, and that’s what I love about being a nurse,” she said. For Roman, the nursing “bug” started in high school when she took a health science class. “From there, I became fascinated with all aspects of the health field,” she said. She has a passion and desire to support and advocate for the Hispanic population, since that is also her ethnicity. She now looks forward to furthering her career as an emergency room nurse. Her advice to new nurses: “I would encourage you to go for it and go as far as you can in nursing. If the medical field is a real passion for you, don’t hesitate to get started. It’s an amazing field to be in, plus you can grow and do so much with your license.” HealthLinks Upstate has partnered with KUDZU MEDICAL STAFFING to highlight some of the Upstate’s top nurses.