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Employee Spotlight: Transitional Care Nurse Susan Feltner

April 17

As a transitional care nurse at Hamilton Trace, Susan Feltner, LPN, has a unique position allowing her the opportunity to do a more in-depth assessment of each resident, going over labs and his or her patient history.

“My main job is to prevent readmission to the hospital and to work closely with the doctors, even more closely than the nurses on the floor,” she said. “The nurses on the floor work so hard, and I can slow down and go into the rooms and spend extra time with those residents. I can hold their hands and talk to them about their next step after therapy.”

Susan is the face short-term care residents see coming into Hamilton Trace and then transitioning out — all in about a month’s time.

“It’s a stressful thing to lose your independence and go into the hospital and then into a community for rehabilitation. My job is to do everything I can to get them to that next step — whatever it may be.”

Even before going to school for nursing, Susan already had a good base of medical knowledge and patient care experience.

“I was an EMT at 18 years old,” she said.

Growing up in Colfax, Ind., a small town in Clinton County, Susan learned a lot from her dad, who was a firefighter — and the assistant chief of the Colfax Fire Department.

“I wanted to be a firefighter like my dad. I always found him to be so intelligent, and I just thought the world of him. I still do.”

So how did the 18-year-old volunteer firefighter become an emergency medical technician before even attending college?

“The fire department told me they would pay for my EMT training if I wanted to do it. I couldn’t really pass that up. I aspired to be a paid firefighter, but sometimes your life takes you down a different path.”

Read more of Susan’s story here. We’re so grateful to have her as a member of the CarDon team!