Glenda Coleman, Director of Operations at Champion Care, has been named a 2024 Frontline Honors honoree by Skilled Nursing News. This year’s SNN Frontline Honors program is sponsored by TeamHealth.
To become a Frontline honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be:
- A dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes
- A passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into for the good of their respective industry, the patients and residents they serve, and their families
- An advocate for their industry and their fellow colleagues
Skilled Nursing News recently caught up with Coleman to discuss their time in the skilled nursing industry.
SNN: What drew you to this industry?
Coleman: I knew from a very young age that I loved helping people. When I was in elementary school, I volunteered in a skilled nursing facility after school, which would later be a foundation for starting a career in the skilled nursing industry. My mother was always an inspiration to me, and during my high school years, she encouraged me to consider nursing school. I started my career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) on the 3-11pm shift and learned so much from my first job. I knew I wanted to further my education and returned to nursing school to become a Registered Nurse (RN). I have always had a compassionate heart for the elderly and am honored to be a caregiver to our geriatric population.
SNN: What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
Coleman: The skilled nursing industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries. We face constant regulatory scrutiny from the state and federal level. Our leaders must continuously adapt to ever-changing rules and regulations and must be prepared daily to meet the challenges in our industry.
SNN: What’s your favorite part about your job?
Coleman: I love to use my years of experience and knowledge of long-term care to improve the quality of care and services that we provide. My focus is always on the residents that we serve and on the leaders and employees that are providing care. I want everyone I am in contact with to know the passion in my heart and see my positive energy. I use that to enthuse others around me to be the best caregiver that they can possibly be each and every day.
SNN: What do you want the general public to better understand about your job and the industry you serve?
Coleman: The skilled nursing industry is filled with employees that are passionate about the care they provide and dedicated to the residents that they serve. Long-term care has changed so much over the years, shifting from predominately serving elderly residents, to serving a younger and much sicker population. Our jobs are difficult and stressful, but we continue to balance excellent patient care outcomes with the overwhelming amount of regulations that we must comply with on a daily basis.
SNN: What’s something that you wish other people in your organization — particularly leaders who don’t work on the front lines — understood better about your job?
Coleman: My job requires dealing with multiple situations at any given time and making immediate decisions using my best judgment. The support that I have received from within my company has made me a stronger leader and makes me feel confident that they believe in me. It has been a privilege and an honor to serve the skilled nursing industry for almost 40 years.
To view the entire Frontline Honors Class of 2024, visit https://frontlinehonors.com/.
