EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR SPOTLIGHT: Meimuna Abdullahi

The nursing profession is all about displaying a sense of kindness and personability, while also being knowledgeable in a variety of care options. Whether it's comforting a frightened patient or listening to their concerns, a nurse is always there.

While the nursing field can be demanding both physically and emotionally, there's one person who's gone above and beyond to care for her patients. Meet Meimuna Abdullahi, LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) at FutureCare Pineview.

With over a decade of experience working in healthcare, Meimuna was recently honored with FutureCare's 2017 Employee of the Year. We caught up with Meimuna to learn more about her and what she does:

What's your job title & how long have you been working at FutureCare?

I'm an LPN, and started working with FutureCare in 2006, so this is my 13th year.

Tell me a little about your job. What does a typical day look like for you?

Typically, on Mondays and Thursdays, we do rounds, which are really hectic days. Sometimes I'll start as early as 6 or 7 a.m. In the beginning, I started working on the floor with medications, but now I've upgraded to wound treatment. I've been doing that since 2016.

What's the most rewarding part of your job?

I'd say the most rewarding part is when I see a patient's wound healing. It's really touching because it means that you're doing something right.

What made you choose to be an LPN?

I really love to work with people. That was my dream when I was younger. To me, there were only two things you could do to help people, and that was either work as a nurse or be a teacher. That's when you can be proud to help someone. It's something the person will never forget.

Do you have a favorite FutureCare memory?

Definitely moving up from a general nurse to an LPN.

What advice would you give to other employees?

To always put themselves second and to always look beyond the outside appearance of a patient. When a patient comes in, they don't come here for a fashion parade - they come in for a reason. The goal here is to get better, and we're supposed to help them. We need to look at them as people and think about ourselves as well as our loved ones. That's a technique I use. I always look at the patients lying in the bed and I think, "What if that's me, what if it's my loved ones, how would I want someone to treat and help me?"

Why do you love FutureCare?

One of my favorite things is that they have room for growth. They're willing to help you achieve your goals and offer a lot of training. In terms of education, they can work with you to make sure you're able to achieve what you want to do, but at the same time continue to have a job.

What's it like to be honored with Employee of the Year?

It's a really beautiful feeling to be recognized. It feels good to know that someone notices your good effort. It's like hitting the double jackpot.

Do you have any hobbies you'd like to share?

I really enjoy gardening. I grow all types of vegetables, including bell peppers, hot peppers, squash, tomatoes, and onions. I also plant lemongrass, but that's to drive the mosquitoes away!

What's something people might not know about you?

I love to cook. When I see something I like, I have to learn how to cook it and then invite everyone over to try it.

Tell us a bit about your family:

I'm a mother of six: four boys and two girls. My oldest is going to be 40, and my youngest is 22. My husband is in Africa, so it's just me and the kids here.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

FutureCare is a really great company, and I would advise people to give it a try.

Meimuna became a nurse to not only treat her patients, but to help improve their quality of life. To her, being a nurse is more than just a job. She's continued to exemplify the qualities of a great nurse, and we're honored to have her as part of our team.