Campbell County Health is proud of its employees, and we want the CCH family
and the Campbell County, Wyoming community to know about the good work
that they do for this organization.
Say hello to Tonya Carlson, BSN, RN, the Director of Nursing at
The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center. Tonya has worked for CCH for one year, but has been in health care for
nearly 10 years. She earned her bachelor of nursing from the
University of Nebraska Medical Center, CON-Kearney in 2010, and her bachelor of science from the
University of Nebraska – Kearney in 2006. For those who don’t know, The Legacy offers both long term
care and short term rehabilitation in Gillette, Wyoming.
Tonya was drawn to a career in health care when her mother fell ill when
she was in college. “Navigating the healthcare system with her was
very eye-opening for me. I never really paid attention to all of the roles
required to provide care, outside of a doctor. My mom received excellent
care throughout the Midwest. At the time, I couldn’t have asked
for better,” says Tonya. “Hindsight I saw some slight gaps
that could have made big differences toward the end of her life. We just
didn’t know better while we were in the throes of things. I was
talking to my sister about this one day and she said, ‘You should
be a nurse.’ She’s my big sister. I do what she says. So I
did. And my mission has been to make a positive impact on the delivery
of healthcare, ever since.”
Picking one healthcare hero was hard for Tonya, because she tries to “take
little pieces of the best of everyone I work with.” But, there was
one who stood out a little more than the rest: Jody Willats, who was Tonya’s
director at a previous job with Case Management in Scottsbluff, Neb. “She
was extremely diplomatic and fair in all situations. She quietly demanded
excellent outcomes and accepted no failure of finding a way when it came
to utilizing resources appropriately. She always asked, ‘How do
we make this work?’” says Tonya. “I have never met an
individual more empathetic and understanding to the human condition. She
was making an impact on the delivery of healthcare and I strive to match
her approach in leadership.”
When Tonya is not at work, she spends time hiking, snowshoeing, finding
live music, and exploring.
We ask Tonya what she likes most about CCH, and what excellence every day
means to her. Check out her response:
“I love when the nursing staff identify a problem, develop a solution
and carry out a plan for improvement. It isn’t always successful,
but problem solving comes with trials. That’s where quality care is born!
I am not from Gillette. I had an outside perspective of CCH and The Legacy.
I maintain that The Legacy is a leader in innovation. I believe that the
care and the style of care delivery here is unique and an absolute necessity
in the future of healthcare. It’s a tremendous opportunity to work
amongst this team.
For me, excellence every day means showing up 100%—every time, every
day. It can’t be about you, it has to be about the greater good.
Excellence Every Day is a tall order. The burden of the responsibility
that comes with quality care is easiest when shared by everyone, every
time, all the way.”
Thank you Tonya, for being a part of our team. We appreciate you.
Is there a CCH employee who went the extra mile or shows you extraordinary
service? Give them a pat on the back by completing an
Excellence Every Day card.
You can learn more about The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center at
www.legacywyo.org.