Rene Smith, RN Case Manager for Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice, has been named a 2023 Frontline Honors honoree by Home Health Care News.
To become a Frontline Honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes; a passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into action for the good of older adults and aging industry professionals; and an advocate for older adults, their industry, and their peers.
Home Health Care News caught up with Smith to discuss their time in the home health care industry.
HHCN: What drew you to this industry?
Smith: I started working as a State Tested Nurses Aide (STNA) after having my children. I loved direct patient care and getting to know the residents, but wanted to learn more about the disease processes and what caused them to need skilled care. I decided to go back to school to become a RN.
HHCN: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
Smith: Often, people are their own worst enemy when it comes to their health because of lack of knowledge. Explaining what is happening, why they have the symptoms they have, and how to manage their disease helps patients to better help themselves. Healthcare providers often take for granted that patients know what’s happening because they know, and don’t always do the best job of explaining it to the patients.
HHCN: What’s your favorite part about your job?
Smith: Educating my patients. Knowledge is power. The more I can teach patients in ways they can understand, the better they do at caring for themselves.
HHCN: What do you want society (or the general public) to know about your job?
Smith: Healthcare is a very emotionally charged profession. We spent countless hours with patients to help them improve the overall well being. We celebrate the highs and empathize with the lows of every patients journey along with them and their family.
To view the entire Frontline Honors Class of 2023, visit frontlinehonors.agingmedia.com/
The post Frontline Honors: Rene Smith, Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice appeared first on Home Health Care News.
