Judith Wilson: One of Beacon’s Brightest Healing Lights
Registered Nurse Judith Wilson began working at Beacon Christian Community Health Center as a volunteer over 13 years ago while still employed at an area hospital. She says, “I was attracted to the center’s philosophy about helping others. And the fact that patients can come in here and pray with their doctor or another health provider. You cannot get that elsewhere.”
She also appreciates how the center has created a positive patient experience by minimizing change and uncertainty. “We carefully build trust by making sure our patients see the same provider each time they come in. They realize that they are seeing someone who knows them and all that they have shared about their health and families.”
The center’s faith atmosphere also helps comfort and meet patient needs
Many Beacon patients at the Staten Island facility notice the pleasant teamwork they see regularly. “When patients come in here early in the morning,” says Nurse Wilson, “they see us as a group, starting the day with prayer. And if they are here late in the afternoon, they will see that we end the day with prayer.”
Patients also appreciate the way the front desk staff professionally checks them in, making sure all insurance matters are in order. When uninsured or undocumented people with low incomes schedule appointments, they are told about the paperwork they must bring in to help them qualify for medical coverage. Programs like Medicaid and the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) are lifesavers for many, helping cover the medical expenses of those who could not afford healthcare otherwise.
Daily nursing tasks at Beacon can be challenging, varied, and rewarding
At present, Beacon continues to benefit from Nurse Wilson’s 49 years of medical experience.
She makes sure all the new nurses are properly supervised and trained. She says, “They are ready to vaccinate patients, check their blood pressure, and draw blood for lab tests that help monitor a variety of conditions, including diabetes.” The nurses also place periodic wellness phone calls to patients who are either homebound or otherwise unable to come in as often as desired.
While most of the pediatric and adult medical needs are routine, there are times when Nurse Wilson says she must speak with a caseworker about suspected child abuse or be ready to refer a patient out to a specialist. Sometimes a patient needs to see an endocrinologist who can provide added help with a particularly difficult case of diabetes. When a patient appears to be suffering from domestic violence, the nurses are prepared to refer them out to secure community resources.
It is often when a patient begins crying or is upset about a new diagnosis that Nurse Wilson says she is most likely to reach out in faith and offer to pray with the person. Before doing so, she is always careful to first let the individual vent their frustrations and fears.
Regardless of age, Nurse Wilson says it is important to make sure all patients benefit from a brief, yet appropriate gentle touch – such as a pat on the back or the shoulder. Such minor gestures play a significant role in communicating sincere care and concern to patients.
How does working in a busy health center like Beacon affect nurses?
When asked about how she and the other medical providers respond to patient suffering, Nurse Wilson states, “If you are a caring and compassionate person, you will naturally take some concerns home with you. However, on most days I am fine, and I feel like I have accomplished something by helping others.”
As the nurses, medical students, doctors, and nurse practitioners work to heal patients, their efforts tend to increase each person’s awareness of God’s presence. In fact, Nurse Wilson says, “My faith grows the more I work here, study, and read. It just keeps growing stronger as I see all that God is doing in this world.” She then quickly adds, “It’s a privilege to work at Beacon.”
Beacon Christian Community Health Center is both a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and a National Health Service Corps site. In keeping with the center’s reverence for Jesus Christ, Beacon states that its mission is “to honor God by caring for the physical, mental, and spiritual health of our community.”