As the director of residential living at Landis Homes in Lititz, Pennsylvania, Rebekah Johnsen ‘16 oversees a team that supports the residential living population. She pursued a career in nursing out of a sense of mission and is grateful to have found an employer that shares that calling to servant leadership – and to EMU Lancaster for teaching her that which “I never expected to discover,” she writes below. “The curriculum was always appropriate and meaningful.”
Collaboration and support
I am responsible to coordinate services to assure that all aspects of life are the best they can possibly be for each resident in Residential Living. I provide oversight for nursing services, collaboration with social service support and pastoral care, case management, resident education, initiatives to improve quality of life on campus, support of resident-driven initiatives, management of off-campus consultants and providers serving clients on our campus, management of campus libraries (staffed by resident volunteers), and support of residents and families during times of transition and change.
An employer – and partner in mission
I pursued nursing because of a burden the Lord placed on my heart. I felt called to utilize the field of nursing as my mission field. I never dreamed I would have an employer that would wholeheartedly partner with me in this mission or experience the gift of serving residents who so graciously accepted my offer of service.
The meaningfulness of prayer
Several days ago when I arrived, a coach bus was parked in the lot with a long line of residents getting on board. They were preparing to leave for a day in Gettysburg, a trip organized through our Life Enrichment department. I was asked if I would come on board the bus to greet the residents and offer a prayer before their departure, as praying as a group before they leave for trips is a customary practice. I happily greeted my residents and shared with them that my family has the same tradition of asking for God’s protection and blessing as we travel, and then prayed for them and thanked God for the privilege of living at Landis Homes and the health to be able to participate in fun outings. Days after the trip, a resident came to my office to thank me for my greeting and prayer. He shared how much it meant to him and the other residents. As we parted he spoke this blessing over me: “May God bless you.” I am always in awe of the gratitude for small acts such as praying with a group before an outing.
Nursing an ‘immeasurable gift’
Just like any career, nursing is not for everyone. The work can be very hard, both physically and mentally – and maybe most of all emotionally – but pursuing this career path was one of the best decisions I have ever made. If you are wired for this profession, you will be filled with life and love every day. I have never felt the need to stress about the money I will make in this field, and the opportunity to serve and care for others is an immeasurable gift.
EMU Lancaster cultivates servant leadership
EMU has equipped me to be a better leader in the field of nursing and in life, including through improved confidence – an unexpected benefit of my studies. While I began my studies with a sense of pride in being a nurse, that confidence grew as I learned more and spent time with the amazing professors and staff. The team at EMU embodied what I feel is the spirit of nursing – a call to a life of servant leadership.
‘The greatest experience of my life’
When I was contemplating where to complete my bachelor’s degree, a nurse friend who had just earned her bachelor’s degree at EMU Lancaster told me, “It has been the greatest experience of my entire life.” I now echo her sentiments. I have had the benefit of private education my entire life, with amazing teachers and professors all along. EMU Lancaster matched and even exceeded my expectations. I learned things at EMU I never expected to discover, and the curriculum was always appropriate and meaningful. Every staff person made me feel like family and I looked forward to class each week. In fact, when I was approaching graduation, my emotions were bittersweet – happiness because I had completed my studies, but sadness knowing I would not be at class every week with my cohort and the EMU staff. I recently came back to EMU Lancaster for an educational session and it felt like coming home.
I am blessed by working with you!