Employee stories

Sara Franks

A love of science, a healthy curiosity and the right encouragement from her parents helped Sara Franks find the job she loves at Mercy.

Sara, 19, is from Ely and started at Mercy in December 2008 as a patient care technician in orthopaedics. She credits her mother, a medical assistant in neurology in Iowa City, and her dad with encouraging her to explore health care.

Unsure of what sort of health care work she's pursue, Sara completed a 75-hour CNA health academy through Kirkwood Community College, and worked for eight months in an assisted living facility.

"I found out I love the elderly. They appreciate someone being there for them," Sara says. "I also knew I wanted to work in a hospital, to help people."

At Mercy, she found the perfect mix of patients and supportive co-workers.

"I like Mercy a lot. The nurses are more than willing to help you out. They want the best for you," Sara explains.

She's happy where she is, but also looks forward to where her career will carry her at Mercy.

"It's just a great environment. And you can grow from here. You can specialize wherever you want to," Sara notes. "Plus, it's reassuring to know that what you're doing makes a difference."

Kristi Willenbring

Growing up in Dubuque with a mom who's a registered nurse and a dad who's a banker, Kristi Willenbring started at the University of Iowa as a biology major, until she discovered she enjoyed business classes more than science. She graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.

She attended Iowa School of Banking, graduating in 2005, and worked as a banker at F&M Bank in Cedar Rapids. But something was lacking.  

Having "shadowed" her mom at work at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, Kristi recognized the lure of health care work.

"It's the entire mission of a hospital that attracts me," she says. "The healing of the sick and the huge social benefit to the community. It's the human factor."

She began looking for work that combined accounting and health care, and joined Mercy in 2007 as a staff accountant/financial analyst in the finance department.  

"I love this," she says. "It's a locally-owned, stand-alone hospital."

Also, Kristi notes, she is Catholic and she believes in the work of the Sisters of Mercy.

"I think that causes it to be managed differently," she explains. "We're not just about the bottom line. We're more about doing what's right."

She immediately felt comfortable at Mercy, from her first job interview.

"Everybody is really helpful," she says. "There's room to grow. Ours is not a large department, but there are a lot of positions."

Kristi is working on her Masters in Health Care Administration, and appreciates having received a $5,000 annual scholarship for two years through Mercy's loan forgiveness program.

"Health care is a good place to work. It's a very stable industry. Historically, it's normally recession-proof," Kristi notes. "There are endless opportunities."

Mercy makes those opportunities even more meaningful, Kristi says, because its leadership is "phenomenal" in its commitment to making Mercy the best it can be.

"It's impressive. Everybody has ownership here," she says. "Contributions are noted and welcomed. It makes you feel that the work you do has value. It's our hospital. And we definitely have the Mercy Touch."

Erin Sneller

Erin Sneller knows firsthand what a difference a physical therapist can make.

Erin experienced ongoing knee pain, starting at age 14. Doctors couldn't seem to correct the problem. But when she saw a physical therapist (PT), his care worked. She's been pain-free ever since.

That experience piqued Erin's interest in physical therapy. She observed her PT at work, hung out with her high school athletic trainer and learned more through internships at the Workplace Learning Center.

After one year at St. Ambrose University, she finished her Associate of Arts degree at Kirkwood Community College. She graduated from the University of Iowa in psychology and physical therapy. A six-week internship at Mercy in 2007 solidified her career choice.  

"It was a real confidence-builder, and a big reason for my coming here," she explains. "Everyone was great. I worked with a 20-year Mercy veteran who really knew his stuff, but he let me do my own thing too."

She's been a full-time inpatient PT at Mercy since January 2009. Mercy's loan repayment program has been a big help and the flexible scheduling is great. Erin also sees the Mercy Touch in her co-workers and supervisors.

"The biggest thing I've noticed here at Mercy is that you can always tell that whoever is working with a patient really cares," Erin says. "They're good role models. I try to always hold a patient's hand, and answer questions. A lot of them are anxious and kind of scared."

That extra care is unique and important, she adds.

 "The biggest thing I've always wanted to do is find a solution to people's problems," Erin says. "It's really gratifying to have patients gain and improve."

Doug Dannen

Doug Dannen, 28, still feels like he's just learning the ropes as an inpatient physical therapist (PT), but he likes the balance of professionalism and expertise with the warmth of the Mercy Touch he's found at Mercy.

Studying at Iowa State University for his bachelor's degree in exercise science, Doug ended up in a cardiac rehabilitation internship at Mercy that changed his career focus to PT. He finished his PT degree at University of Iowa and started full-time at Mercy in February 2009. Some classmates recommended that he try Mercy, he says, and his job interview left a great impression, he says.

"I'm happy," Doug says. "Inpatient rehab is what I'm really interested in, and I enjoy working with the patients every day. Everyone is really open here and I can bring up any questions. My supervisor is excellent. I'm in the right place."

He advises students curious about health care to get as much experience at different places as possible.

"You'll get a different experience wherever you go," Doug adds. "Mercy is a good middle ground between a small and a huge hospital. We get complicated cases, but there's a balance between a personal feeling and dynamic work environment."

Ashley Pritts

Her own family experience led Ashley Pritts into health care, and particularly into physical therapy.

Her brother had a stroke when he was born, and underwent physical therapy (PT) for 18 years.

She decided in high school she wanted to work as a PT, Ashley says. She graduated from St. Ambrose University with a doctorate in PT in December 2008. In January, she began as an inpatient PT at Mercy.

She came to Mercy because she knew some Mercy nurses, wanted to be closer to home and an opening came up.

"Everyone was so helpful," Ashley, 24, says of her job interview. She was also able to meet with two other PTs alone to hear what their experiences with Mercy were. "It seemed like one big family. The Mercy Touch is real."

She started first as a technician. After passing her boards, she began full-time as an inpatient PT.

She especially enjoys her work, Ashley adds, "because we're actually watching people get better and go home. We get them to that point. It's nice to see how they progress."

Anyone considering health care positions must "be sure they're in it because they want to help patients," Ashley says. "I see everyone at Mercy is like that. It's a real supportive environment. I really enjoy it here."

Andrea Gore

Having both parents as teachers, Andrea Gore knew early on that she too wanted to do something to help people. She liked health and science. At Iowa State University, she focused on engineering.

One semester, she decided to sample some different classes, more health care-oriented.

"I knew I couldn't stay at a desk forever," Andrea says, laughing. "So I tried something really different. That helped me focus."

Health care intrigued her.  

"I really enjoy being physically active," she says. "I thought about nursing. Then I decided that through physical therapy I could develop more of a relationship with my patients."

She finished her bachelor's degree in exercise science at Iowa State and finished physical therapy (PT) school at University of Iowa in December 2008.

She was hired as a technician at Mercy that same month. She passed her boards and became a full-time inpatient PT in January 2009.

"As a new graduate, it was intimidating enough starting out. I felt here like I got support," Andrea adds.

She's glad she took the time to check things out, first by visiting Mercy's PT department to observe. During one day of observation, some traveling PTs who had worked elsewhere told her Mercy was unique.

"They said that at Mercy, everyone works as a team," Andrea recalls. "And, they said, there really is evidence of the Mercy Touch. It does exist. So, I took that into account."

Now Andrea, 25, says she sees that difference firsthand.

"Everyone pitches in together when things get stressful," she explains. "I'm happy with where I'm at, and I feel like I made the right choice."

Her advice to new graduates considering health care careers?

"Do a lot of job shadowing. Get that experience and exposure so you know what it really entails before you decide," Andrea suggests. "And volunteering is good too."