“Whatever you’re enduring, remember, this too shall pass.”
Kimberly Quire is a Registered Nurse working and living in Frankfort, Kentucky. Kimberly is the mother of four children, ages 2, 12, 14 and 17. She is the wife of a retired US Army soldier, a true friend and proud American. She is a friend to every person she meets and an inspiration to many. After standing by her husband’s side during his military career, Kimberly decided to pursue a career in nursing and has been a registered nurse for almost six years.
Where it all Began
On choosing to pursue a career in nursing, Kimberly says, “In 2006, my youngest daughter got ill with the rotavirus and ended up being hospitalized. During that hospitalization, I observed the nurses closely and found that their work was inspiring. They were not only making sure that my baby had what she needed to get better, but also attended to my needs as a worried mother. When we were discharged, I told my husband that I thought I would like to be a nurse. My husband shared with me that he had always thought I would make a wonderful nurse, but he had never verbalized those thoughts. The next evening, he came home from work with a registered nurse review book and had penned a love note in the front cover. It was the encouragement I needed to pursue nursing as a career.”
Life as a Registered Nurse
While Kimberly loves her job and is frequently recognized for her outstanding contributions to her patients, co-workers, and hospital, she confesses that the job is not always easy. Although nursing is incredibly rewarding, she says that the most challenging aspect of her career, “is leaving it at the door once I arrive home to my family. Some days it is nearly impossible not to bring those patients home with you on your mind and heart.” Her favorite quote is, “Whatever you’re enduring, remember, this too shall pass.”
Her fondest memory of being a nurse so far, “Happened at the very beginning of my nursing career. I was working in an Alzheimer’s Care facility, and one of the residents was a 94-year-old woman that had only just become unable to safely care for herself at home. She was having a difficult time adjusting to her recent move to the Alzheimer’s unit and was dealing with quite a bit of anxiety. On the evenings I worked, it was no surprise to me to go to her room and find a chair against her door. I spent a good deal of my shift reassuring her that she was going to be looked after and that nobody would be able to access her apartment because I would be watching vigilantly.
This particular evening, as I made my rounds, I found her sitting on the edge of her bed with her Bible open. She asked me to sit for a while and visit. Even though I had hours of tasks ahead of me, I obliged her request. We talked, we prayed, and we read her worn-out Bible. Eventually, I explained that I needed to leave because I still had quite a bit of work to be done. Truth be told, I could have stayed there for hours with her reading that Bible. It was one of those moments when you feel so very close to God that you do not want to step away. She taught me that my job is much more than just passing out medications and charting. Nursing is about providing compassionate care. It’s meeting a patient’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs.”
Following in the Footsteps of Mom
When asked if she would encourage her children to follow in her footsteps and become a nurse she says, “I would absolutely encourage my children to become nurses. Nursing allows me to give of myself in a way that no other occupation does. It requires critical thinking and constant recall of knowledge, and really beckons me to stay engaged with my patients and their needs throughout my entire shift. However, it also gives me the opportunity to make connections with people that I might have never have met outside of the hospital. My career lends itself to create trusting relationships with people in my community.”
“My occupation has definitely been a positive life experience. It has taught me that human kindness and compassionate care go hand in hand. I take care of people from every walk of life. I care for them, not because I am forced to do so, but because I genuinely enjoy assisting in healing the ill and comforting the dying.”
Of what her career in nursing has taught her Kimberly says, “I have learned to never judge a book by its cover and to always meet people where they are in life. We do not always know where someone is in their life journey or what kinds of obstacles they may have faced. I feel like being a registered nurse has given me the foresight to see that when I am caring for a patient. I may be meeting them on one of the worst days of their lives. I have learned that the way that I interact with them and provide care for them may either encourage them or discourage them further.”
Eyes On The Future
When asked about her plans for the future Kimberly says, “My plan for the future is to finish Nurse Practitioner school by 2021, and then work in family practice.”
“I had never heard of Homes for Heroes before being approached about this article. My opinion is that Homes for Heroes works as an advocate for individuals employed in special careers by assisting them in the sale, purchase or refinance of a home.”
Homes for Heroes wants to thank nurses all over the country like Kimberly for their selfless sacrifice and commitment to seeing people through some of their darkest moments. They serve their patients and community selflessly, and for that, we are eternally grateful. Nurses are the backbone of every hospital, and we can’t thank them enough for what they do.
