Celebrating Our Nurses

Nurse /'ners/: A licensed health-care professional who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health.

Among the many unsung heroes across our nation, nurses perform essential functions in medical settings that sometimes go unnoticed and uncelebrated. This is especially true for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who oftentimes don’t receive the recognition they deserve despite the important role they play in patient care.

InVision’s three LPNs comprise the two systems of health services we offer at InVision. InVision Behavioral Health provides individualized behavioral health services that meet the unique needs of the people we support who have a dual diagnosis, and InVision Health Services provides a comprehensive and individualized plan of physical and medical needs to support the people we serve in our Residential Program. As LPNs, they’re specifically trained to provide direct patient care. This is especially helpful in the ID/A field, since nurses play a critical role in ensuring the people we support are receiving the medical care and attention they need.

Beyond direct care, our LPNs form a crucial link between a patient and their doctor. They collaborate with each other, pharmacists, and other medical professionals on everything from recordkeeping to appointment auditing to ensure the needs of their patients are at the forefront of every decision or recommendation they make.

Our nurses share an incredible passion for the work they do, and we’re proud of everything they achieve for InVision and—most importantly—the people we serve. In honor of Nurses Week, they shared with us why they pursued careers in nursing and what nursing means to them.
 

Becky Hoskinson, LPN with InVision Behavioral Health

Nursing has been Becky’s calling since she was in the sixth grade. She obtained her Licensed Practical Nursing degree more than 20 years ago, and she’s been living her dream ever since. Even though she recognizes that nursing is a demanding career, she loves that the work is never the same, offering a unique and exciting challenge every day.

Becky has been with InVision since October 2019.

What’s your favorite thing about being a nurse?

Meeting new people! I love hearing stories about everyone’s lives.
 

What does nursing mean to you?

Empathy, sympathy, courage, bravery, dedication, and FUN!
 

What do you feel is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a nurse?

Becoming open to change.
 

What do you like most about working at InVision?

InVision treats every employee as a person, not a number. They truly value you as a member of the team! The ID/A community is a unique one, and I learn something new every day.
 

What do you wish more people understood about nursing?

That nursing can be challenging! It’s not for the faint of heart and takes dedication.
 

Dawn Wilder, LPN with InVision Health Services

Dawn didn’t always want to be a nurse; it was more of a later-in-life revelation. While she studied nursing, she gained experience as a DSP, home health aide, and a paraprofessional.

As a married mom of eight with 18 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, she’s more than adjusted to the fast-paced nature of nursing. She has a deep passion for helping others, and she finds fulfillment in her work.

Dawn has been with InVision since January 2023.

What’s your favorite thing about being a nurse?

Helping people take positive, progressive steps forward.
 

What does nursing mean to you?

Caring for others.
 

What do you feel is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a nurse?

Convincing others in healthcare to see people with intellectual disability and autism as more than just a diagnosis.
 

What do you like most about working at InVision?

Seeing the people we support and their smiles.
 

What do you wish more people understood about nursing?

That it’s a very demanding, yet rewarding, career.
 

Becca Wilson, LPN with InVision Health Services

Self-described as a down-to-earth animal lover and outdoors enthusiast, Becca didn’t always see herself as a nurse, but her big heart and desire to make a difference in people’s lives encouraged her to pursue a career where she knew she’d have an impact.

Becca has been with InVision since May 2021.

What’s your favorite thing about being a nurse?

There are many joys of being a nurse! Meeting and getting to know a diverse group of people and touching their lives.
 

What does nursing mean to you?

Being a nurse means patients in your care must be able to trust you. It means treating your patients and colleagues with respect, kindness, dignity, and compassion. We take care of our patients as if they were a precious family member. This is the common thread uniting different types of nurses who work in various areas is the nursing process—the essential core of our practice.
 

What do you feel is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome as a nurse?

Removing myself from my personal opinions and beliefs when providing care.

 

What do you like most about working at InVision?

I can honestly say I have never had a more reliable and communicative team willing to work together and for our clients. I love how we customize care around a person’s needs. Plus, I have such an amazing supervisor! I am so appreciative of all the support, communication, and ability to be open, honest, and upfront.
 

What do you wish more people understood about nursing?

The struggle to be fully transparent, because it requires us to leave everything—our beliefs and opinions—behind and step out of our comfort zones.

The medical field is not for everyone. It is challenging and hands-on. You need to listen to what a person is saying both verbally and non-verbally, and you learn to look at a person as a whole. There is a wide variety of specialties, certifications, knowledge bases, trainings, and communications that come into play.
 

Thank you to InVision’s nurses!

Nursing isn’t an easy job, but it is absolutely essential. We thank the nurses who serve the people we support at InVision and nurses everywhere for the work they do each day.