On the age of 18, Constance “Connie” Evans, grew to become a licensed sensible nurse for a possibility to discover extra of the medical discipline. Nevertheless, in her first 12 months at Stony Brook College, Evans grew to become disillusioned with the considered turning into a physician. Her ardour for nursing elevated as a substitute, as did her frustration together with her lack of means to assist sufferers as a licensed sensible nurse. Evans graduated with a bachelor’s diploma in psychology with nursing nonetheless on her thoughts.
In 2000, fifteen years later after elevating her kids, Evans went again to high school. She graduated from Lehman School as a registered nurse in 2005. VNS Well being employs the now 61-year-old registered nurse preceptor. The house and neighborhood based mostly well being care group has been her solely employer since graduating.
VNS Well being employed Evans in April of 2005, previous to her commencement. Their nurses took care of Evans’ mom. Whereas she was not the simplest affected person, the nurses tended to her devotedly. It amazed Evans how her mom responded to them and attracted her to work for VNS Well being. “In my interviews with VNS, I mentioned, ‘I owe you guys a debt, I’ll most likely by no means repay. However I’m going to do my finest to try this,’” mentioned Evans.
Associated: Advancing the well-being of New Yorkers therapeutic at dwelling
Born and raised within the South Bronx, Evan was raised alongside her three siblings by her single mom. She understood her poverty however by no means felt it. Evans’ mom by no means let her and her siblings go hungry. She made it her enterprise to ensure her kids attended college and inspired Evans’ dream of being a healthcare skilled.
Right now, as a Black healthcare skilled working her dream job, Evans understands the significance of Black sufferers receiving therapy from well being professionals that seem like them. A 2019 examine discovered that sufferers usually tend to make the most of preventive care companies and report care satisfaction when handled by a well being skilled who shares their racial or ethnic background.
Black nurses’ cultural competency offers Black sufferers with a secure area. Evans embraces sufferers as household and needs to indicate them that she works very onerous. “I prefer to be an instance of the greatness of our individuals. We’re resilient, we’re robust,” she mentioned. “Actually, each time I am going right into a affected person’s dwelling, they turn out to be my household, not simply my affected person.”
This mentality is one Evans believes strongly in. In a Nov. 2023 article, Wall Avenue Journal author Brenda Cronin describes how Evans revitalized her life when she cared for Cronin through the COVID-19 pandemic. Evans visited Cronin at her condominium, providing encouraging phrases whereas nursing her again to well being following a hip surgical procedure. “However I recall vividly that as I healed and progressed from mattress to walker to cane, the spotlight of my day was Constance’s go to,” Cronin writes. “It seldom lasted lengthy however in quarter-hour she imparted sufficient firm, care and dialog to revive a wobbly world to a good keel.”
Evans’ care supplied Cronin with stability and positivity throughout a darkish time. House care is a “very difficult however rewarding nursing expertise” for Evans as she cares for sufferers of their houses for so long as a pair weeks to years. “It’s very, very treasured to me. I like what I do,” mentioned Evans.
She presently works in the direction of incomes her grasp’s in nursing training, anticipating to graduate in September. Evans aim is to impart her data on VNS nurses and empower them. As a nurse preceptor, she works with VNS Well being’s onboarding nurses. Evans works one-on-one with every nurse, who both have not too long ago graduated or have little or no expertise with nursing.
“No matter I obtain, I give to them. I’m on this for the lengthy haul,” she mentioned. “I need to assist develop the best nurses on this planet and I would like them to be at VNS Well being.”
Evans enjoys VNS Well being’s variety and the methods they hold their legacy robust. She cites Lillian Wald, America’s first public well being nurse who based VNS Well being in 1893, as one in all her biggest heroes. Wald labored alongside Elizabeth Tyler, the primary Black nurse at VNS Well being in 1906, whose historic influence evokes Evans.
“We’re nonetheless doing our greatest to make New Yorkers’ lives much more livable, much more nice. To get them by these darkish occasions after they have these sicknesses that basically simply strike terror of their coronary heart,” Evans mentioned. “We will maintain them by their arms and say, ‘You’re not alone on this, I received you.’”
