Ryan Heady, LPN: Long-Term Care Licensed Practical Nurse

(Isstories Editorial):- Charlotte, North Carolina Oct 30, 2025 (Issuewire.com) – She is dedicated and determined to be the best at what she is doing that day, no matter the job. She has a soft spot for geriatrics. She writes, ” After graduation, I went into an SNF with, mostly geriatric population, in the rehab hall. A lot of my residents actually got to go home after some PT/OT/ST. Unfortunately, not every patient does not gets to. A nurse will have their first patient pass at some point-mine came approximately a year into my nursing career. I was strong and professional, also empathetic and loving towards my resident and his loved ones. I felt I had done everything right, but when I got to the medication room, all I could do was cry. A more experienced colleague says to me,  ” It’s not if they die or when they die that matters. It’s the difference you make in their lives every day that they are here.” My sadness turned to pride because I was confident in the care I provided. In my opinion, I feel like we as nurses do not all of a sudden become “numb” to it all. It’s that one eventually realizes that the inevitable does come eventually. There is nothing we can do about that, but as nurses, we can make every day they live meaningful with purpose. When their body or brain finally fails them we have the power to make sure they die with dignity.” She further goes on to say, ” another thing about me is, although I believe knowledge is the key, if I had a choice in a nurse to work alongside of me, let’s say to run a code with, I would want one with common sense over GPA, any day of the week.” The biggest personal vexation in nursing is watching a nurse who is ultimately responsible for twenty-four patients not prioritizing their needs accordingly.” She writes, “When I was eighteen, I was a CNA in an SNF. My great-grandmother was admitted there because she had Dementia. Once she got to the facility, she was diagnosed with CHF. My family repeatedly watched her body fill up with fluid just to be administered diuretics, over and over, a vicious cycle. She was tired, and I could tell; I saw her every day. I felt it was my responsibility to educate my family. So I got down on their level and educated them all on CHF and dying with dignity. They changed her to a DNR that day. I had that much effect on their decision, and there were five of them total. It made me feel so much pride. As a CNA, I saw that I made a difference, but I wanted to be the one who actually made the decisions based on signs and symptoms of the disease process. I wanted to inform the doctor of any changes. I wanted to take responsibility for the patient as their whole. That’s when I decided to be a nurse.

She attributes her success to her passion for helping people, a commitment that has guided her throughout her nursing journey and continues to inspire the care she provides each day. She writes, ” I have worked alongside great doctors and nurse practitioners who actually listen. Nurses who work with you, not against you, and right beside great CNAs, who I feel are the Foundation of Nursing. ” She writes, ” I just treat people with respect, show them kindness, understanding, and empathy. I treat my patients the way I would want my family treated. I take care of the patient in their entirety. I hold their hand when they are scared, hold their spoon when they are too weak, encourage them to get up with they have no energy from illness or disease. I take care of the patients’ families as well. I gain their trust by providing great care to their loved one, being both patient and the loved one’s advocate, and showing them my true passion for nursing with every move I make. She is motivated by knowing tomorrow is a new day, a fresh start, another blessing. What else motivates her is the realization of how truly short life can be, and living every day like it’s your last one.

Learn More about Ryan Heady:
Through her online profile,