Congratulations are in order for Sandra Dennison, RN, who was awarded Bon Secours Rappahannock General Hospital’s Associate of the Month back in August of this year. Read on as she shares her firsthand testimonial of how she has always felt at home at Bon Secours.
“As a young girl, I always knew that I wanted to be a nurse and a traveler. I finally got to realize my nursing dream when I graduated in 2004. Later, I was working for a major hospital system in Baltimore when I got bit by the travel bug and realized that my other dream of traveling was going to come true.
In 2010, I started my journey as a traveling nurse. I traveled up and down the East Coast and as far away as California. However, what always stuck with me during my years of travel was the warmth, compassion and acceptance of the Bon Secours family at other hospitals.
In October 2017, I was very fortunate to have accepted an assignment at Rappahannock General Hospital (RGH). I, again, was welcomed with the same warmth and compassion that I had experienced at other Bon Secours hospitals. During my first travel assignment at RGH, I learned more about the ministry that Bon Secours uses as a template for providing care to the communities it serves as well as its team members. From this experience working at RGH, I knew that one day I would seek out Bon Secours as my final destination – a place where I could continue to grow within the ministry as my own faith continues to grow.
I was very saddened when my contract with RGH ended, even after I extended it for the maximum of one year. While I was on other adventures, I never forgot about my RGH family and longed to get back to them as soon as possible. I would call the nurse manager and reach out to the staff frequently to see if they were looking for a traveler so that I could put in my bid to come back. One day, I hit the jackpot and got a call from the nurse manager saying they were looking for a traveler and asked if I was interested. I called my recruiter on the spot and accepted.
Upon my return to RGH in April 2020, it was like I had just been on a long vacation and my family was waiting to welcome me home. Then, in October 2020, I hung up my traveling shoes and became a permanent part of the Bon Secours family.
‘And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” –Luke 11:9’
I cannot say enough about the extraordinary teamwork here at RGH. No matter if it’s a crisis or a celebration, all departments come together as one. I can attest to the bonds that are made here at RGH. While I was on ‘my long vacation,’ team members would reach out to me to see what I was up to, how things were going, where I had ended up and offered moral support when times were rough. The outcry of support was overwhelming and like nothing I had ever experienced. I can honestly say that Bon Secours is family.”
We are so proud and happy that Sandra picked Rappahannock General Hospital as her last stop on her long journey. We’re also so grateful for Sandra and our other nurses who are dedicated to caring for patients at Bon Secours, where nurses mean the world!
Read more stories about our incredible nurses.
Also, learn about the health care services we offer at Bon Secours.
