At Matchwell, we are proud to have wonderful nurses on our internal team. For Nurses Month, we asked our Regional Manager of Partnerships, Joy Skovira, RN questions about being a nurse and her role now.
I would imagine that there are many who were influenced by parents in the healthcare profession, and I’m blessed to be one of them. My mom was a Registered Nurse – she was kind, compassionate, and smart – everything you want in a nurse! She and my dad taught CPR classes and participated with the local volunteer ambulance squad and fire department; they were wonderful role models! Although I knew that I wanted to be in a helping profession, I initially completed my bachelors degree in Psychology and worked in several settings providing care for the developmentally disabled and those who had sustained brain injuries. I quickly realized that I was drawn to nursing, and loved the fact that there were so many career paths within the nursing field. I started out as a Registered Nurse providing care for medically fragile children, which was extremely challenging, but so rewarding!
I am a Regional Manager of Partnerships, and focus primarily on helping acute and post-acute organizations reduce their utilization of agency staffing and overtime through direct access to clinicians.
I’ve been fortunate to have had a diverse 27 year career in healthcare; it’s certainly never been boring! Most recently, I was the Executive Director overseeing quality and nursing at my local hospital, which was gratifying because it’s a tight knit community and there were many familiar faces receiving great care. Prior to that, I had the privilege of coaching healthcare organizations throughout the country who were looking to improve their clinical, operational, and financial outcomes.
I would have to say that all of my previous jobs have prepared me for my current role. A common expression is to walk a mile in someone’s shoes, and I’ve done that from a staffing perspective! Having spent 8 years working directly for a healthcare staffing company, I understand the operational side of that industry. On the flip side, working in hospitals and wondering how we would cover the open shifts was enlightening (and frustrating). I’m excited about the opportunity to continue to make a difference in healthcare!