When she and her family moved to the Lincoln area 16 years ago, Kelli Ohnoutka, LPN, says she didn’t know about rehabilitation nursing. Now, she can’t imagine doing anything else in her career.
“I put my application in several places, but when I interviewed here, the longevity of the staff and just everything about Madonna is what drew me to it,” Ohnoutka said.
Ohnoutka is an LPN at St. Jane de Chantal, Madonna’s skilled nursing facility. She started as an LPN in the rehabilitation hospital, working with Madonna’s brain injury, spinal cord injury and pediatric populations. Then, after transferring to the ventilator assist unit, she says she fell in love with the residents in her care and has been working there since 2019. She says she loves each person like they are her own family.
“I found my niche when it came to caring for an older population,” Ohnoutka said. “You learn so much from them and they’re the reason I stay. Our staff down here are amazing with them, so it’s all put together in one happy package.”
Nursing in Madonna’s long-term care area offers a variety of opportunities to use a wide range of clinical skills. Ohnoutka says she cares for patients with tracheotomies, gastrostomy tubes, wounds and complex pulmonary needs.
“It is 24/7 care,” she said. “We work 12 hour shifts, so we have a lot of continuity of care with our residents. We’re able to give them every bit of care in every aspect that they would need.”
Ohnoutka’s advice to young nurses is to explore different specialties within nursing and find what you love. For her, that passion is rehabilitation nursing, because she has the chance to use each unique skill she learned in school and every day is different.
“I recommend trying many different things,” Ohnoutka said. “I’ve worked in doctor’s offices and when I started here at Madonna, it was my actual first traditional hospital role. You get so much experience by doing so many different things. Don’t ever settle for just one specialty.”
Ohnoutka says she stays at Madonna for the support and career advancement offered to her.
“Madonna has a very strong foundation for nursing in all aspects,” she said. “You can start as a CNA. So many RNs that are here now started as CNAs, and it’s just the growth opportunities, the family-like atmosphere and the support you get that has kept me here and kept me loving my job for 16 years.”
If you feel called to serve and inspired by Madonna’s mission, join our team today. Madonna is currently hiring LPNs in our skilled nursing facility and across our hospitals. For more information, please visit https://www.madonna.org/careers/nursing/