COVID-19's Impact on the Job Search process

2020 was a year filled with uncertainty and new normals.  Our society adapted to a new way to educate our children, stay connected to friends and family and perform our jobs.  The pandemic also changed how companies hired and how job seekers thought about starting new positions.  Let's hear from one of our new Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) colleagues, who decided to jump in with both feet and brave the new hiring process.

Meet Sirena

Sirena Carter began working for Fresenius Medical Care in 2013 but recently made a shift from working in our clinics as a full-time employee assigned to one clinic to an RN within our travel nurse division allowing her to serve many clinics across the country.  Read on to learn more about how Sirena decided to make this shift during a challenging and uncertain time.  

LET’S HEAR WHAT SIRENA HAD TO SAY:

Q: Why did you join the FMCNA team?

A: I started with FMCNA in Destin, Florida in 2013 as an incenter staff nurse. I was a new nurse with a year of med/surg under my belt. Joining the team allowed me
to live out a dream and move to the beautiful coastal town of Miramar Beach, Florida It was a way for me to begin a new life and advance my career and education while continuing to help people in need. FMCNA supported me in all of those endeavors.

Q: What was your experience like beginning a new career during a pandemic?

A: Over the years of my growth in dialysis I have had the privilege of stepping into multiple roles within the FMCNA family. Recently, I took a leap of faith and decided to join the travel division. In spite of the pandemic I trusted the process and had complete support from the onboarding team and the education department. They were able to help me start my new assignment with ease and supported me through the entire transition.

Q: The pandemic has required us to all adjust our daily routine.  How are you adjusting to staying safe? Is there anything you are doing to help maintain both safety and/or connection during this time?

A: think the pandemic has forced all of us to evolve and change into a new way of living. It’s forced us to rethink how we function from day to day. I stay up to date with the CDC recommendations for staying safe. The CDC website is very informative and helpful. I wear a mask when I go out and I practice social distancing. I keep up with loved ones through multiple social media outlets, with phone calls, and facetime chats.

Q: What would you tell someone hesitant about starting a new career during this pandemic?

A: I would say to do the necessary research before making a career change. Be prepared and communicate openly any concerns with the team that have been
put in place to support us. I had a lot of questions during my transition and they were all answered very quickly. I was wonderfully supported through my entire journey.

Q: How do you feel that your role is a "vital part" in supporting our patients and our company?

A: My role as a travel nurse is vital because there are many clinics that are very short staffed. I give full time nurses or managers that may be working the floor a much
needed break. I don’t require much training because I have been in this role for many years. I have knowledge that also helps nurture patient needs and improves overall quality scores. I have also trained many new nurses while traveling and formed some very tight bonds with them. It is very rewarding for me to see that I made a positive difference in the lives of our patients and team members.

Q: Do you feel you have a powerful effect in your role? If so, how?

A: Yes, I believe that I have a powerful effect because my role requires me to be a leader, unifier and an excellent time manager. I have the ability to multi task effectively and bring a team together through passionate hard-work and commitment to patient safety and satisfaction. I believe in leading by example.

Q: Do you feel that your role allows you to be a partner in caring? If so, how?

A: Yes, I feel that my role allows me to meet new people at every assignment. It has helped me see and appreciate teamwork. When I meet a group of new patients they don’t stay strangers to me for very long. I treat everyone one of them like my family and I remind myself often that they are my family. I look at each one that I care for as my mom, my dad, my brother, or my sister. I give the kind of care that I would want for my family or for myself. I treat others the way I would like to be treated.

Q: Describe an experience or feeling that stands out when thinking of your career with FMCNA?

A: I will never forget my first day actually on the treatment floor. I was so overwhelmed and unsure of myself. I was greeted by one of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen. My preceptor and mentor has been with FMCNA over 20 years now. She exemplifies caring and passion and hard work. I am very blessed to be taught by her and to this day I call her my dialysis mom. She gave me the confidence I needed through her patience with me and her consistent guidance. I think she is one of the best nurses I have ever seen, and her dedication and commitment to her patients and co-workers inspires me. I often stop and reflect on her and the time we shared working together. Although I have grown and changed over the years and the once small clinic I started out in has now transformed for me into multiple clinics and multiple teams in many states. There are times I wish I could go back...to our little clinic and our little team....we created alot of good times and great moments together that I will never forget. I am eternally grateful for all that I have learned.

About Fresenius Medical Care

We have become a global leader in healthcare because of the unwavering dedication our people bring to work every day. Whether that means developing new-to-market dialysis technology or educating patients, our team touches the lives of more than 190,000 patients through innovative care and profound, personal connections.

With Fresenius Medical Care North America, you will “be the difference,” enabling patients to thrive, providing comfort to families, supporting coworkers so they can realize their goals, compelling our company to achieve through innovation and performance, and driving the development of your career.

Our team is made up of over 70,000 dedicated employees in North America. All of them focus on being the difference and delivering the highest-quality care to people with kidney disease – helping them to lead longer, better, and healthier lives.