Healthlinks Upstate Sept/Oct 2018

48 | www.UpstatePhysiciansSC.com | www.HealthLinksUpstate.com BRENDI STOKES, BSN, MSN It has been a long road for Brendi Stokes, administrative supervisor at Patewood Memo- rial Hospital. Her first experiences in the health care field came as a child. At only 3 years old, Stokes was labeled as “failure to thrive” by doctors. “I was malnourished and weak,” she said. “My hair was falling out, and each rib could be counted.” Her parents, desperate to find answers, took her to Charleston’s Medi- cal University of South Carolina, where she said she was saved. “My parents had no appointment,” she said. “They gave me to the first nurse they could find. Things moved very fast from there. I was diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus, commonly called a hole in the heart. I un- derwent surgery and did very well.” She said she remembers the nurses who took care of her: “I was only 3 years old, but I remember.” That was not the only experience that encouraged her to be a nurse, however. She married, spent 10 years in law enforcement and had her own children before she decided to pursue nursing. “After I obtained my associate degree in nursing from Greenville Tech- nical College, I worked on a medical-surgical and ortho unit while working on my BSN from USC Upstate,” she said. Later, she earned her MSN from USC Upstate as a clinical nurse leader. She said her favorite part of her job as an administrative supervisor is be- ing able to support staff, patients and visitors. “I love being who everyone calls when they need something,” she said. KAREN SHERMAN, RN, BSN Upon entering Clemson University as a freshman, Karen Sherman had no idea what she wanted to major in. “I bounced around with ideas of education or social work and changed my major several times,” she said. “With the encouragement of my father, I explored the possibility of nursing. Nursing turned out to be the perfect fit for me. It gave me the opportunity to help others while teaching individuals and families how to care for themselves.” Since graduating, Sherman has worked in medical-surgical, cardio- thoracic nursing and home health. “It was in home health that I found my happy place. It combined my knowledge and skills of adult nursing with complicated social situations and teaching,” she said. Sherman stepped away from the field of nursing for several years while she raised her children. In 2013, she attended Greenville Technical College to reactivate her license. She now shares the job of health educator for the Cancer Society of Greenville County with Nancy Stephenson. “The position as health educator gives me the opportunity to work with clients who have a variety of health and learning needs. I particu- larly enjoy teaching about ways to decrease one’s risk for developing cancer through healthy lifestyle choices,” she said. JEFF EVERETT, RN, BSN, PCCN Jeff Everett’s decision to become a nurse was sealed when he met his father’s nurse during one of his lengthy hospital stays. “I was seeking a new career when my fa- ther was ill,” Everett said. “I was considering different health care fields, but, when I met my father’s nurse, I just knew nursing was for me.” The nurse asked Everett how he was coping with his father being sick. “She was not only concerned about the patient, but she was also gen- uinely concerned about me as the caregiver,” he said. “The opportunity to affect so many people combined with the necessary technical skills sealed the deal.” He is now settled at Greenville Memorial Hospital as a cardiac nurse. “I enjoy working with cardiac patients,” he said. “There is a great op- portunity to educate individuals and their support network about their condition and to empower them to control the disease through proper diet, medication and activity.” Everett said he has a great manager. “Each nurse is supported there while advocating for the care of the patient,” he said. “With the support of our manager, I have served as a leader in the designation of Greenville Memorial as a magnet facility and now serve as a leader of our professional practice council, a body of clinical nurses influencing practice at our hospital.” 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! NANCY STEPHENSON, RN, BSN Nancy Stephenson obtained her BSN from Clemson University, but she knew ex- actly what she wanted to do before entering college. “I realized early in high school that I want- ed to become a nurse,” she said. “It has been a rewarding way to combine my love of science and learning with my compassion to serve others.” She spent the first 10 years of her career in the hospital setting, work- ing in telemetry, ICU/CCU and cardiac rehab. She then took some time away to raise her children and recertified in 2013. When she recertified, she was serving on the board of the Cancer Society of Greenville Coun- ty. The health educator position came open with the Cancer Society and she thought it would be the perfect fit. “It was the perfect segue back into the field of nursing while still continuing to support this local agency that has been near and dear to my heart,” she said. As a health educator, she shares cancer screening and prevention education resources in the community. Along with her colleague, Karen Sherman, she speaks to community and church groups, participates in health fairs and screening events and teaches classes on cancer-related topics. “Every day is different; our patients have very individual needs. I love the challenge of helping patients and family members navigate through cancer-related resources to provide information and services that ease their journey,” she concluded.