Congratulations to Refer-a-Friend Winner Brooklyn Weaver

Congratulations to Caregiver Brooklynn Weaver winner of  monthly Grand Prize - Scrub of the Month courtesy of Scrubs Magazine.

Becoming a Senior Caregiver: What led Brooklynn to a career in caregiving?

What led you to begin a career in caregiving? I knew I wanted to be a nurse a few of years after my parents became foster parents. My little sister came into our family with a lot of health problems which sparked my passion for healthcare. She is asthmatic and has growth hormone deficit, and the more I learned about these conditions the more I knew I wanted to advocate for patients as my career.

How many years have you been a caregiver? I just started nursing school at Emory University 2 months ago, but have been helping to care for my sister since 2007. 

What is ione of your most memorable caregiving experience? As a recently new nursing student, my experiences as a caregiver are very few at this point. However, when we realized that my sister was not growing I followed alongside her numerous tests until the proper diagnosis was found. Since then, I often administer her growth hormone shot, which she is required to take every night until she has reached maturity. As I begin this nursing journey, I look forward to years and years of caregiving experiences in the hospital setting.  

How do you manage the stress that comes with caregiving? Being a student is stressful in itself, so as I continue applying what I am learning in school in the hospital I feel sure that situational stress will increase. However, the more I learn the more confident I become. I manage my high stress levels now by making sure I spend time keeping my mind, body, and spirit healthy. I make sure to fit things into my schedule that restore and relax me.