During the pandemic, many long-term care organizations and hospitals experienced severe shortages of registered and licensed nurses. They found themselves having to use extremely expensive agency nurses.
However, Lakeview Christian Home started recruiting international nurses to help out back in 2005 and was able to avoid the shortages that many facilities across the nation were experiencing. Since that time, they have recruited over 40 nurses, representing nine countries. The majority of these nurses arrived from the Philippines and are employed for three-year contracts. Some have stayed far beyond their contract while others have moved to other locations but remain in contact. The common theme heard from these foreign-born nurses that have stayed as well as those that have moved on is that “Lakeview Christian Home becomes your family.”
Lakeview CEO, Jody Knox explains: “Recruiting international nurses has increased quality of care, compassion, and the sense of community at the organization. It has also significantly increased workforce stability as these nurses commit to a minimum of three years. These nurses are a great addition to the wonderful nursing team!”
The nation recently celebrated National Nurses Week and Lakeview Christian Home honored all of its nurses in the Skilled Nursing Home, Home Health Care, and Hospice. During National Nurses Week, Chaplain Terry McKean performed a Blessing of the Hands Ceremony, anointing each nurse with oil and a prayer of blessing over hands that care for the most vulnerable of patients.
Lakeview currently employs 39 nurses. Knox calculated the years of experience each nurse has brought to Lakeview, and it totaled over 500 years! All of these special individuals are devoted to the mission of caring for the aged, sick, and the dying. Their contribution to resident care at Lakeview has helped earn the honor and distinction of a 5-star facility by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Paid Advertorial published in Focus on Carlsbad 2022 Summer edition.
