Having grown up in Michigan City, Chief Nursing Officer Sarah Jones enjoys getting to see and interact with people she has known for years on a regular basis. She said it is special and rewarding to take care of her home community through her work at Franciscan Health Michigan City and come alongside them to support them through challenging times.
Jones first began working at Franciscan in 1996 as a nursing assistant before moving into a manager position and eventually her current officer position. She has stuck with Franciscan since then because she feels the mission and values of Franciscan personally resonate within her and because Franciscan pours so much into the community.
“There is a great deal of effort, on behalf of Franciscan, that goes into supporting the health and wellness of our community. It is an honor to be a part of this; something that is bigger than just myself, one hospital, or one department,” Jones said.
Her favorite part of her job is the opportunity to positively influence patient care on a big scale.
“Nursing leadership affords me the opportunity to partner with our amazing team in efforts to ensure that every person who walks through our door feels cared for and loved," Jones said. “Beyond this, it is important that patients receive high-quality care and are comfortable with and understand the plan designed to bring them back to health.”
Jones is currently pursuing a DNP in executive nurse leadership. While this is not something she needs to complete for her job, she is a committed learner who wants to provide the best care she possibly can.
“I have this desire to continually renew my knowledge and use that to positively impact the world around me,” Jones said. “I’m doing it not so much as a career move, but just because it is something I want to do. I’m learning a lot from it, and I do think that what I’m learning absolutely brings value to what I’m doing.”
Looking to the future at Franciscan, Jones is excited for opportunities to reach out to the population in Michigan City and beyond. She said they have many efforts already underway to try and identify and meet the needs of people who have not previously come through the doors of their hospital.
“We want to find those opportunities to better meet the needs of the community because I do think there is a portion of the community that is not engaging with healthcare for various reasons,” Jones said. “The infant mortality rate is an example of that. In La Porte County, the infant mortality rate is high. It excites me to think about opportunities to help reduce this not only because it is the right thing to do but also because of the associated positive impact on our community."
Jones stays active outside of work with her passion for serving. Due to a personal tie, Jones got involved with Dunebrook a few years ago. She has served at her church in a variety of ways throughout the years including small groups and youth groups. She has also been a board member and a Sunday school teacher.
When she is not working or serving, Jones spends her time reading, studying for her DNP, doing outdoor activities, and traveling when she is able.
To learn more about Franciscan Health, visit https://www.franciscanhealth.org/.
