March 9, 2016
For further information, contact Ed Poush, Mayflower Community, 641-236-6151
Pat Conn, R.N. and weekend supervisor at Mayflower Community Health Center, has been named one of 100 Great Iowa Nurses, a program of the Iowa Nurses Foundation. The Great Nurses program annually recognizes “100 outstanding nurses whose courage, competence, and commitment to patients and the nursing profession stand out above all others.”
Conn, who previously served as Mayflower’s director of nursing, began her career as an Army nurse stationed in Tokyo during the Vietnam War. A native of the Grinnell area, she returned to Iowa after her service and work in a San Jose, Calif. hospital. Most of her nearly 50-year nursing career since has focused on the field of gerontology and service to older adults in several central Iowa facilities.
“This wasn’t something that I expected I would have chosen,” Conn said, “but it’s so rewarding. I always feel that I get more from the residents than I’ve ever given.”
Considered a mentor by many of her current and former colleagues, Conn says she enjoys “working with staff members to identify and solve patient care issues, especially working with people with dementia.”
Conn studied to become a care facility administrator but determined she could be “more effective as a nurse in direct patient care than as an administrator.”
“I am very humbled by this recognition. I have known some amazingly talented nurses in my career, so to be counted among the 100 is an honor I never expected,” Conn said.
Ed Poush, associate director and healthcare administrator at Mayflower Community, said Mayflower nominated Conn for the recognition because of “her depth of knowledge, excellent assessment skills, high energy level, and strong drive to be an advocate for residents and staff.”
“Pat is the ‘go to’ nurse—an invaluable member of the Mayflower team—who goes to great lengths to look at all sides of issues, gets to the underlying problem or concern, and can make solid decisions and judgments from her accumulated years of end-of-life care,” Poush said.
“Pat’s voice is the voice of calm reasoning that gently guides new staff and helps them make connections to the residents. One just knows that things are going to run smoothly and problems resolved when Pat is on duty. Mayflower is very pleased that Pat’s experience and unflagging commitment to high quality care for our residents is recognized by the Great Iowa Nurses program.”
Conn will attend the 100 Great Nurses celebration at the Iowa Events Center on May 1.
The Mayflower Community is a full-service senior living community, providing numerous residential living options and a full-range of short- and long-term healthcare and memory support services to more than 240 current residents.
