Nurse of the Month: Andrea Flynn

How did you first learn about Signallamp?

After a long maternity leave, I was ready to go back to work full time, so I began searching online for work-from-home employment. My baby was premature and susceptible to infection so I didn’t want to work anywhere which could potentially introduce an illness home to him.

What do you like the most about your job?

My favorite part of this job is the relationships I build with my patients. Getting to know them is always a treat in itself, but it also allows me to better meet their needs and better perform my job. In traditional bedside nursing this is unfortunately not something time allows. Spending more time with them and showing concern for them by advocating for them is a way to show how truly valued they are.

What is the best career lesson you have learned so far?

I’ve learned how valuable CCM is in keeping patients on track with their health. Through CCM I’ve gained a new appreciation for the importance of follow-up. For example, a simple follow-up on medications can relieve confusion, maybe even help reduce cost. This is something I get to do with my patients regularly and I love seeing their positive results from just following up with them.

Compared with day one, how has Signallamp grown?

I love being part of a company that is constantly improving. They support their team in the day-to-day workflows, but then remind them of how valued they are by offering lots of additional perks and incentives. We have a continued retention bonus. We get our birthday’s off and paid. These small gestures express so much, and it’s a treat to be part of a company that really cares about us.

If you could select one co-worker to mentor you, who would you pick and why?

My team lead, Jen M, has already proven herself to be a great mentor. Sometimes I just want to observe her in action, witnessing her in her natural habitat, so I can learn about a different role and just get some insights into all she does.

What do you like to do when you are not working?

I love spending time with my family. We typically have a family beach trip each year, and our favorite place to visit together is Cape May, NJ. Going on trips together or just walking together is so much fun. I also really enjoy fishing with my family. Really anything with them is just a blast.

What is a fun fact about you many people may not know?

I am artistic and used to draw and paint often. I also like finding fossils and gems, anything with getting outside and scouting out cool finds. But I can also enjoy being at home, especially as I’m decorating my house.

Tell us about the craziest experience you have had with a patient:

I have a patient who suffers with drug addiction and mental health struggles. He once told me he was keeping samples of “worms” which had come out of his skin. He would pick them and put them in jars. It was a team effort, but we were able to really help get him the care he needed.

Share a success story from your time in CCM:

Recently. I had a patient who did not answer for a long time and then discovered she was experiencing cognitive decline. Her husband had been reaching out to the office for help but ended up calling me back after hearing my messages. He was not sure if she was taking medications, so I went over them with her pharmacy and found there were several that had been due months ago but were never reordered. After updating her husband, I also provided him with a medication list with suggestions for how he could become more involved with her medications despite her resistance. We restarted her BP pill at a lower dose for now and are getting her back on track. I will be speaking with her husband monthly to help him navigate his new role as a caregiver. He is in need of continued support and I’m glad we can be there through CCM to help them both.