Meet Garrett

Garrett Whiteman is a Clinical Educator who has had a pretty interesting career path to get him to where he is today. He went from working on Seaplanes to working as a Nurse in ICUs, to becoming a clinical educator. Garrett is a prime example that no one's career path is a straight arrow and it really helps to work in an organization that supports career growth to aid this path to self-discovery. Learn more about Garrett's story and how he plays a vital part in FMCNA.

LET'S HEAR WHAT GARRETT HAD TO SAY:

Q: Why did you join the FMCNA team?

A: I joined FMCNA because I was looking for something in nursing that was more interactive with patients. I had been in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), and many of those patients were sedated, and really could not interact with you. Dialysis is new every day, and I wanted something where I could build a relationship with the patients.

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

A: As a clinical educator you have a chance to impact patients through our staff. I enjoy training staff to embrace our customers, and to help them develop the skills needed to deliver excellent patient care.  You meet so many people with different dialysis backgrounds that enhance the classroom learning environment.

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

A: My story didn’t start out in nursing. I came to nursing as a second career. I have always been a social person who likes engaging with others. My first career was as an aviation technician working on Seaplanes. I worked for a small private company on seaplanes.

Yet, I knew there was something missing, something bigger for me was in store. Planes, don’t talk back so I wanted to do something that was more impactful, and people-related.

I started prerequisites for nursing school soon after I had committed to healthcare. After, volunteering at a local ER I was comfortable and happy with the change. It took me 4 years to get through prerequisites and RN school. I decided to go into the ICU of a small hospital in Washington State. After moving to Texas, I started working in the ICU. I really wanted another change, and that’s where FMCNA drew me into dialysis nursing. After working on the floor as a team leader, I saw a new position available for a clinical educator.

Teaching has always been in my family. My mom has been an elementary school teacher for over 35 years, and my grandfather was a school principal for his entire career. I love teaching new hires through FMCNA and seeing them change over the 12-weeks of education. It brings me joy to see the new hires down the road to become experienced staff members and deliver exceptional patient care.

Q: Do you feel that you have a powerful effect in your role? 

A: Absolutely! I feel like I have a powerful effect in my role because as a clinical educator, You get to meet and teach your new employees and see their world change from novice to expert. You get to see people become an experienced patient-centered caregiver, and help them through that journey. 

Q: Have you experienced professional growth with personal meaning in your role? 

A: I have experienced professional growth growing as an educator. You set personal goals, and outcomes for yourself each year, and this makes you grow from novice to experienced. 

Q: Do you feel you or your team/department leads, innovates, succeeds? 

A: The great thing about an education team, is that we all work for the common good of our students or new hires. Everyone on the team contributes a different element to the mix because each one of us has a different personality.  Each personality adds another puzzle piece to the picture of success.

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

A: Absolutely, You impact your care for caring for the new hire, and by guiding and mentoring the new hire you also impact the patient's care. It’s related to the whole saying of “ Pay it forward”.  

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 64,000 dedicated employees in North America, all of whom 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

Why Join our team?

• Rated as one of Forbes’ U.S. Best Employers
• Paid one-on-one training
• Tuition reimbursement
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Paid time off
• 401(K) and much more