
The nomination: Angela Phelps has been an LPN for over 15 years and has served the elderly for most of that time. Johnna Patrick says of Angela, “She not only gives her passion for nursing 100% during the day but it is very common to see her checking on her residents, attending resident birthday parties or bringing a resident a little something special on the weekend or after work hours. She won the Community of Character trait award for caring in 2015.”
Patrick states that Angela gives so much to her patients, family members and staff and is always the first one to stop and say “How can I help?” or “What can I do?” She is graduating in August from Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College with a much-deserved associate degree in nursing.
“The world is a better place because of Angie Phelps. She is also a great advocate and cheerleader for OCtech,” Patrick says.
Angela Phelps was hired as a charge nurse at Jolley Acres in 2008 by Deana Houser, who took her under her wing and mentored her into caring greater for the elderly. In 2010, she was promoted to assistant director of nursing, She has been a proud LPN for 20 years and spent the majority of those years working in long-term care. She is currently enrolled in the ADN Transition Program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and will graduate on May 10, 2022. Following completion of the program and passing the South Carolina State Boards, she intends to pursue a career in nurse management, long-term care and providing care and compassion to the elderly in the community.
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So why did you want to be a nurse? After coming to South Carolina from Texas and working as an activities assistant in a local nursing home for a few years, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in nursing. That’s when I realized I wanted to do more to assist individuals who were adjusting to life in a nursing home after becoming unable to care for themselves at home or after being hospitalized. When I saw CNAs and nurses taking care of patients and their families on a regular basis, it was heartwarming to see that they didn’t treat it like a “work.” The individuals with whom I had the privilege of working … took pride in their work and treated the patients as if they were family. A Maya Angelou quote that I love: ‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. That’s the most important thing.’ When it comes to taking care of my patients and family members, this is a motto I live by every day. As I begin my 20th year in this field, I realize that this is a calling that I would not trade for anything.”
Memorable events: Both COVID-19 and Hurricane Matthew came to mind immediately when asked about a work-related memorable incident. Although COVID-19 is still fresh in my mind, receiving patients from Charleston following Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was one of my greatest accomplishments.
“At first, I didn’t know how we were going to help these patients that needed shelter. There is no doubt that the patients were afraid, but my coworkers and I were ready to take on the task. The first few days appeared to be quite hectic, as we tried to learn their demands while also attending to our own.
“Prior to the event’s conclusion, when it came time for the patients to return to their nursing home, they expressed reluctance. Several of them even sobbed and pleaded with us to stay with us. I can confidently state that this will always be a triumphant story for me, as it was made possible by some awesome coworkers.
“I understood that some people are in it for the money while others are sincerely invested. I must add that every one of my coworkers stood up to the plate and handled the situation admirably during that emergency crisis, from picking up extra shifts to working in areas to which they were not assigned.”
What is the most rewarding/challenging part of your job?: “The most rewarding/challenging part of my profession is adapting to emergent situations, which requires effective communication and teamwork. Additionally, the ability to cope with a variety of ethical personalities when it comes to patients, workers and family members.”
The future: My outlook on life is improving day by day. I intend to pursue a profession in nursing administration and geriatric mental health. As for the future of the nursing profession as a whole, I hope that we all continue to work together to address emerging health care challenges in both our communities and around the world. Above all, I wish/pray that we all continue to strive to be advocates for the people we care for.
COVID-19: “COVID-19 had a huge impact on both our community and the world, and it was very devastating. I was fortunate to be able to take a year off from management and reconnect with my passion for hands-on care. I spent a few months working on a COVID unit and was able to give even more of myself to those battling COVID-19.
“I think we all thought that COVID was just a phase and would be gone before we knew it. Here we are two years later, and we are still fighting the fight, maybe not as hard but we are. I think COVID-19 will be around for a while, just like the flu. Because I work in the health care field, I’m honored to keep fighting COVID-19 and other issues with all my other health care colleagues.”
“I think we all thought that COVID was just a phase and would be gone before we knew it. Here we are two years later, and we are still fighting the fight, maybe not as hard but we are. I think COVID-19 will be around for a while, just like the flu. Because I work in the health care field, I’m honored to keep fighting COVID-19 and other issues with all my other health care colleagues.”
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