LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Everyone that walks into a career in healthcare has their own story of what inspired them to want to help others for a living.
For Connie Charles, that story began as a teenager on her family farm.
“Cared for animals and vaccinated animals and helped them when they were sick," Charles said.
"Nursing was always something I knew I’d end up doing. Just that need to help others that can’t necessarily help themselves.”
Charles has carved out quite the career in the medical field, spanning 30 years leading her into the role of Director of Nursing at CHI Saint Joseph Hospital in Lexington.
“Whether I’m at the bedside delivering the care or I’m at director level directing the care, I just want to make the best decisions that I can so that we leave our patients a little bit better than they were when they came in," Charles said.
In three decades, Charles has certainly had an impact on a lot of people, both patients and peers, but maybe none more so than Raven Melson.
“Seeing how much passion effort she puts into her job everyday has really motivated me in school and my future career," Melson said.
Melson is a medical student at University of Pikeville, currently doing rounds at Saint Joseph.
While she doesn't work directly under Charles, Melson enjoys the times they do interact.
“Sometimes we’ll pass each other and see each other in the hallway. Just knowing that she’s here in the building, even if I’m not physically with her everyday, that’s been really comforting," Melson said.
Comfort that can be expected between a mother and daughter.
Safe to say Charles had a big impact on her daughter's story in pursuing healthcare.
Melson recalls as a kid helping mom take care of her grandmother when she was diagnosed cancer.
Now that Melson is on the cusp of starting her career in medicine, she's happy to be able to work in the same building as her mom for now and hopeful that she can stay in Central/Eastern Kentucky once she finishes school to continue to care for her home community.
“That’s the whole reason that I wanted to go to med school in Kentucky so that I could get trained so that I can come back and give back to the community that has helped me get to where I am," Melson said.
“As mom you know the sacrifice that’s been made. You’ve seen it. The satisfaction of knowing that she has chosen something she wants to do and is passionate about," Charles said.
