Nurses a key part of the Presbyterian Manor team

National Nurses Week is celebrated in May, and it’s a great time to acknowledge the important role nurses play in the mission of Rolla Presbyterian Manor to provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.

This year, we checked in with two important members of our nursing team. Read on to learn more about these valued employees.

Dolly Smith, medical records clerk

Dolly Smith began working as a certified nursing assistant after she graduated from high school in 1998, and it turned into a lifelong career. She became certified as a licensed practical nurse in 2014 after studying at Rolla Technical College.

"I have always been drawn to geriatrics,” Dolly said. “It is my passion, and my heart feels whole in long term care. I have tried along the way to do clinic work, but it just isn’t the same. The connection I am able to form with residents and their families is the most rewarding.”

Dolly says her favorite part of her job is the relationships she has formed with residents. Those bonds, plus a strong ethic of teamwork, have sustained her through the challenges of the last two years.

“Our team is just that — a team,” she said. “We all pull together and cover the shifts and the positions needed so our residents are cared for the best.”

Dolly is a single mother of three, whose youngest child will graduate from high school this May. In her free time, she enjoys photography and traveling, especially going on cruises.

Taylor Hance, LPN

“I knew that I wanted to become a nurse from a young age,” said Taylor Hance, who works night and weekends as a licensed practical nurse at Presbyterian Manor.

Taylor was inspired to enter the field because her twin brother and sister were premature and spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit. She planned to work in obstetrics, but she also enjoyed her clinical rotation in a senior living community when she was studying to become a certified nursing assistant.

She earned that credential through Rolla Technical Institute when she was still in high school. Taylor graduated in 2016 and went on to become a licensed practical nurse in 2017. She is currently studying to become a registered nurse.

“My favorite thing about my job is getting to help people complete daily living tasks, putting a smile on their faces and learning about their lives,” she said. “I wish people knew how rewarding nursing can be — not because of the money, but because of the feeling you get when you help someone or listen to someone.”

Like Dolly, Taylor emphasizes the role of teamwork in addressing the challenges of staffing shortages and following coronavirus protocols.

“Our staff does an amazing job in working together, but it still can be difficult,” she said.

Taylor is one of five siblings. In her free time, she enjoys playing softball on a co-ed team, fishing, and duck hunting with her brother Tanner. She and her siblings often ride horses and go camping together, and she enjoys visiting family in Colorado. Taylor is also a past volunteer for the Rolla Fire Department.

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