Seven years ago, Christina Nimmo started her career at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Today, she’s a registered nurse (RN).
Christina didn’t always plan to become a nurse.
“I wanted to be a grief counselor for children,” she said. “And I just kind of moved my role as life threw things at me.”
Working in childcare first introduced Christina to the health care field and led her to explore becoming a CNA. She quickly realized it was the right fit.
When she learned Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital was opening a campus in Omaha, she knew it was where she wanted to start her career.
Seven years later, Christina has built that career step by step. She started as a CNA, later became Madonna’s first licensed practical nurse (LPN) on the Omaha Campus and earned her registered nurse (RN) degree in 2022.
“Madonna is really good about helping you if you’re interested in going to school and moving up in your career,” Christina said. “I’ve gotten scholarships, met great people and really, everything about being here is very welcoming.”
Today, Christina floats between units in Madonna’s Rehabilitation Hospital but especially enjoys caring for neuro and complex medical patients.
“We do a lot of amputations and traumatic injuries over there on R3,” she said. “That’s where I spend the majority of my time. It’s my home.”
With two children at home, Christina found working the night shift was the best option for her family. She quickly realized she thrives on nights.
“It gave me more time to spend with my kids and get them to and from places,” she said. “My husband works during the day, so we just pass the baton, and now it’s just a part of who I am.”
According to Christina, succeeding on night shift requires self-motivation, compassion and a good sense of humor. The overnight team relies heavily on one another to continue providing Madonna’s world-class care long after the sun sets.
She says the group is tight-knit and keeps each other laughing.
“A good night shift nurse is someone who doesn’t do well getting up early in the morning,” she jokes. “We are people who can just chug through the crazy hours of the night and keep each other going.”
Interested in joining Madonna’s nursing team? Visit Madonna.org/nursing to learn more. For information on tuition reimbursement opportunities and scholarships, visit Madonna.org/nursing-scholarship.