FAST FIVE: Jen Collins: Challenges and rewards amid a global pandemic
Meet Jen Collins, registered nurse and 3 East nurse manager at Kootenai Health. Jen is a down-to-Earth, small-town girl from eastern Montana. When she isn’t hard at work at the hospital, she enjoys spending time with friends and family. She has been involved in sports and teams her whole life and is one of the most competitive people she knows.
Generation:
I was born in 1987 and fall right in the middle of the millennials, but I relate more to Gen X with my work ethic and tolerance of electronic devices. I prefer real interactions with genuine connections.
Career and community involvement:
I moved to Coeur d’Alene seven years ago and joined the nursing resource team at Kootenai Health. I had a couple of really great leaders who helped me on my own journey into leadership. I grew into a position of hospital supervisor and took the leap into management. I have always been a part of teams and that aspect of my life is definitely fulfilled working with such a great team at Kootenai Health.
Parental status: I have a beautiful 13-year-old stepdaughter and a houseful of pets consisting of three dogs, two bunnies and a cat.
As we near the year mark of when COVID-19 made its presence known in our community, what are a few things you remember about those first weeks when you had to turn an oncology wing into Kootenai Health's first COVID wing?
Looking back, it was scary and exciting at the same time. It was a chance for us to help our community through something that we had never experienced before. It was an honor to be able to be a part of the frontline who really stepped up to the unknown to care for each of our patients and keep them safe.
What are a few surprises, learning lessons or unforgettable moments you experienced in the past 10 months working in health care?
I would have to say that my biggest surprise is that out of all the units in the hospital, I am glad that our unit was chosen as the COVID-19 wing. This experience is one that none of us will soon forget. It has given us the opportunity to step out of our comfort zone and really connect as a team. We have been able to celebrate each other for our wins, but also be there to support each other in our losses. While this has been one of the hardest 10 months of my life, it’s also been one of the most rewarding.
What drew you to a profession working in the hospital in the first place?
Growing up in sports, I always wanted to be a physical therapist, so I knew I wanted to be in health care. When I was just starting my education, my grandma was placed in the ICU and the nurse caring for her was not kind to my family and I thought, "I can do better than that." My competitive side kicked in and I changed my course to nursing and I have loved every minute since!
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I have lived in North Idaho for seven years and still have not seen a moose!
What are your hopes for the year ahead?
If I’ve learned nothing else from 2020, it's not to dwell on what’s to come. We will get through it. I do hope that our community can get back into our normal routines and be able to celebrate normalcy and all it has to offer now that we have seen the other side of things.
