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Meet Francisco and Jet Paronable. This dynamic father-son duo provides nursing care to many of Madonna’s patients. You could even say that nursing is in their blood. “We have at least eight nurses, maybe even more in our family,” Francisco said. “My sister, my brothers-in-law, cousins, uncles, we’re all in the medical field.” Read more about why Francisco and now Jet chose to work at Madonna here:
Being a rehabilitation nurse means caring for patients recovering from a life-changing injury or illness. Nurse Supervisor Evan Hohnstein said he knew rehabilitation nursing was his calling. Read his story to learn why Madonna was the right choice for him.
At Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, we don’t just say we have core values. The staff goes above and beyond daily to live out the core values: collaboration, hospitality, respect, innovation, stewardship and teaching. For Michaela Aulner, RN, the mission to be an embodiment of those core values drew her to Madonna and even led her to make a career change. As a nurse aide for two and a half years, Michaela originally planned to move on to medical school, but quickly fell in love with the opportunities rehabilitation nursing can provide. “I think what doctors do is awesome, but I just knew that for me personally, being able to walk with patients day in and day out through their rehabilitation, was more my passion,” Aulner said. Michaela’s heart for service is evident in every interaction she has with her patients. In 2020, while working as a nurse aide, she bonded with a COVID-19 survivor who reminded her of her grandfather, who had just passed away from the disease. Patients like Gary West inspired Aulner to return to school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the accelerated nursing program. She knew she wanted to continue to form long-term bonds and trust with patients in the way that only rehabilitation nursing allows, while also using her clinical skills to care for high-acuity patients. “What I love about Madonna is that we get to walk with the patient every single day,” Aulner said. “I get to be someone who helps to empower them and let them know they can do what they set their mind to. I can help them to feel comfortable and trust me because I’m there the entire time as they get better.” In her new role as a registered nurse, Aulner says she’s excited for new collaboration, innovation and teaching opportunities. “I am looking forward to being a leader on the unit,” Aulner said. “It’s great being able to help find solutions to solve patients’ problems and be that person who others can come to, knowing it’s a safe space to ask questions. Anything I can do to help because that ultimately allows us to provide the best care possible for our patients and their families.” Congratulations Michaela, and to all of our 2021 nursing graduates who will be continuing their careers at Madonna! If you are a recent nurse graduate or a seasoned nurse looking for a new career opportunity, Madonna just might be the place for you. Check out our job opportunities at madonna.org/nursing today!
Known for her phenomenal bedside manner among patients, Anastasia Lehman, a new nurse graduate, is about to start the next chapter in her career at Madonna after working as a certified nurse aide for seven years.
Many patients and families refer to Madonna employees as “angels” during their rehabilitation journey. In 2011, the Madonna Foundation created a special recognition program in which grateful patients and families can make a gift to the hospital in honor of their angels – the exceptional employees and volunteers who helped impact their recovery.
The INDEPENDENT is a quarterly magazine published for friends of Madonna highlighting patient stories, development and acquisition of new technology, Madonna Foundation events and more. To be added to the mailing list to receive a copy, visit the link below.
Interested in sharing your Madonna recovery story or providing our team with an update on your progress since leaving our hospitals? Visit the page below.