AMY LUICK

She was sure a career in health care was right for her from the start

Kaylee Schuermann

For the Globe Gazette

Amy Luick started working in a hospital as a high school student, and knew from the start a career in health care was the right road for her.

Luick is a registered nurse for Belmond Community Hospital and has been there for 17 years.

Luick started in health care as a direct support professional for what is now Mosaic.She loved the job and decided to pursue a degree in nursing from North Iowa Area Community College. A few years later, Luick began working at Belmond Community Hospital.

When Luick first started at the hospital, the nurses covered all areas of health care, providing them with diverse knowledge of the field. This also allowed Luick to have more sympathy for co-workers and develop better relationships with them.

“What makes Amy stand out and worthy of this recognition isn’t her many years of nursing experience,highly developed nursing skills/knowledge or even her compassion for her patients,” said Luick’s co-worker, Monica Halverson. “What does make Amy stand out is her passion for teaching and willingness to share her vast knowledge with anyone interested in learning.”

When the hospital moved to a new location, Luick was picked to work in the emergency room.

“To work in the ER, you need to have the skill level, and you need to have the disposition for it Not everybody can do it,” said Luick. “You need to be able to make important decisions accurately and quickly. Everybody says we are a different breed.”

Luick further explained that when there aren’t patients to care for, they clean and restock, but ultimately, there isn’t any planning because they don’t know what will come through the door.

“We thrive like that in chaos,” Luick said.

Her favorite part of working in health care is the camaraderie with her coworkers and patients.

Since the hospital resides in a small community, the patients are often the staff’s friends and family

Two moments stick out for Luick from within her career. One was when she and the hospital staff rallied together to fundraise for a co-worker diagnosed with cancer, and the other was when they had a pediatric emergency.

“They closed the clinic, and every single provider was here to save that kid,” said Luick. “That was the most important thing going on in this hospital, and I know that a lot of places do what is good for the many, but we were going to do whatever we could to save one life. That’s what health care is.”

For those unsure if health care is the right career path,Luick reminds them that there are unlimited opportunities due to the field’s diversity. One should not dismiss the option because of the downsides.

“I’m not going to say that health care is all sunshine and rainbows,because it isn’t always, but it’s rewarding,” Luick said. “I leave work knowing that I make a difference every day. What I do is important every single day”