Celebrating 25 years in her first home away from home

When Juanita Jordan said goodbye to her home country of Guyana, she and her American husband moved to Utah. The new land came with a new culture and new opportunities for self-discovery.

“I felt like I needed to find something that made me – and the people at St. Mark’s helped me find that,” Juanita said.

Juanita’s immigration took place 28 years ago; and 25 of those years have been spent caring for patients at St. Mark’s Hospital in the Progressive Care Unit (PCU).

“The people at St. Mark’s became the only family I had in Utah (other than my husband and my two children who were born at St. Mark’s). The nurses and leaders took me in under their wing, helped me grow and always looked out for my well-being. In fact, one very kind and encouraging manager told me I should really go to nursing school. She said that someday I could run the PCU,” Juanita said with a grin. “Interestingly, I don’t run the unit now, but I am one of the clinical nurse coordinators. I’m also a charge nurse and the most senior nurse in the PCU during the day shift.”

St. Mark’s Hospital: A team. A family. A dream-making combination.

Juanita began her St. Mark’s career as a Certified Nursing Aid (CNA), and thanks to the encouragement of colleagues, she steadily developed in skill, experience and education. Juanita completed an associate’s degree from Salt Lake Community College and then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2020 from the University of Utah.

“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse. When you put your mind to something and work hard, you can eventually realize your dreams,” Juanita said.

During her time at the hospital, Juanita has also cultivated close relationships with the PCU team. She says they support one another and lift each other up during difficult times; they’re a large reason for her long-term loyalty to St. Mark’s Hospital.

“I really love the people I work with. Most of the nurses I started working with 25 years ago still work on the unit. We’ve been together for a long time,” Juanita said. “In fact, those nurses did something unique for me. Back in 2003, they got together and pooled money and helped me become a United States citizen. Those are the people who have coached me and helped me become who I am today.”

Remember this: It’s often a “patient first”

Since Juanita has served patients in the PCU for 25 years, she’s seen a gamut of situations, many of which tend to repeat. Yet, her experience has led only to more compassion – not complacency.

“Even though we’ve helped with hundreds of heart surgery recoveries or other procedures, it’s important that we remember this is often the patient’s first time having a major surgery or the patient’s first time in this situation. I can tell my patients that I’ve seen their situation a few times and I want to help them through the journey. I want to connect with them so I can help them get better after surgery.”

Juanita’s compassionate connections make a difference. In the spring of 2022, for example, a patient in the PCU was recovering from open heart surgery and suddenly pointed out Juanita to his brother. He said, “Do you see her? I know her. She’s been here for 10 years!”

Though Juanita didn’t remember the patient, he remembered her and the care she provided a decade before.

“It goes to show that the little things we do connect us to people. In this case, we may make a connection and not even realize it,” Juanita said.

Utah’s first hospital and the community’s first hospital family

As Utah’s first hospital celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022, Juanita has contemplated her own history at the hospital.

“St. Mark’s is so much more than just my workplace. This is where I got into nursing. It’s where I became a nurse. It’s the first job where I’ve taken on a leadership role,” Juanita said. “I feel so proud to call myself a nurse at St. Mark’s Hospital.”

Juanita says her pride stems from an appreciation for the hospital’s impact on the people in her community.

“I meet a lot of patients who say they’ve been to other hospitals, but they feel something different here. They say that they can feel a family unit within our hospital. I like hearing patients in our community talk about that, and I like feeling like I’m a tiny part of it. I’m part of our St. Mark’s family.”