“My dream has always been to be a traveling nurse for a period of time,” he said. “You get to see the country and gain more experience in the nursing field.”
Alberts’ caring and kindness to residents and other staff at Stanard Family Assisted Living earned him a spot on the Courier’s 2019 list of the Cedar Valley Top 10 Nurses. “His compassion is contagious,” said colleague Bonnie Davis, who nominated him.
“Eric is dedicated to caring for our residents, always going above and beyond in all he does,” she wrote in her nomination. “Our residents and their families think highly of Eric. I seriously don’t know what we’d do without him at SFAL.”
Becoming a nurse wasn’t always Alberts’ plan.
Twelve years ago, after graduating from high school, he moved to Mason City for college. “Initially, I wanted to be a music teacher,” he said. When Alberts took a break after a semester, his sister suggested he return to his hometown of Clarion for a job working with intellectually disabled people in a residential setting.
That led him to considering the nursing field. Eventually, he moved to the Cedar Valley and enrolled in Hawkeye Community College’s nursing program. Alberts is certain it’s the field he should be working in.
“Truly, I believe everyone has a very specific calling in life,” he said. “I think that’s God’s plan.”
Alberts became a licensed practical nurse in December 2015 and has worked for Western Home Communities for about 3-1/2 years. “They were able to coordinate my schooling as I was working on my RN at Hawkeye,” he said. After completing that credential in 2017, Alberts became the clinical services coordinator.
“In this position, I create service plans or plans of care for each resident and make sure that they comply with the state regulations,” he said. In addition, he mentors certified nursing assistants at the facility and works alongside the nursing staff. “There’s a lot that I do in my job.”
His duties are different at the Waverly Health Center. “I work on the medical surgical floor at the hospital,” said Alberts, dealing with patients who are acutely ill or recovering from surgery. Gaining those experiences enhanced his skills, preparing him for the next opportunity.
“Experience is key in nursing,” he noted. “There’s so many things that we need to do.”
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