Longtime registered nurse Bonnie Wildman found a second home 13 years ago when she joined the staff at Community Healthcare System’s St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart.
Wildman, who has been a nurse for 38 years, said the camaraderie among her hardworking co-workers help make Community Health System the outstanding healthcare provider it has been for decades in Northwest Indiana.
“When I first started working here, I couldn't believe how many outreach programs Community Healthcare System had. That's one thing that has always stood out in my memory — how kind we are to not just the community but also to our own employees,” she said.
Community Healthcare System also has found ways to connect its staff with its patients through engaging community events. Wildman’s first position was in the cardiac rehabilitation unit at St. Mary Medical Center. She said she was grateful for the chance to first bond with patients and co-workers outside of a hospital setting at an annual picnic.
“Every year we had a picnic to celebrate and promote good cardiovascular health. People could bring their family members. It was a way of promoting kindness to the community and spreading the good news of what we do,” said Wildman, who currently works in the Pain Clinic at St. Mary Medical Center.
These strong, positive and important connections with patients start in the hospitals with daily interactions.
“I treat patients with respect, and hopefully because of the good experiences that they had, they will tell other people in the community what good care they have received,” she said. “I hope that I'm part of the reason why they spread that information.”
That word-of-mouth appreciation was what guided Wildman to a career with Community Healthcare System. After moving to Northwest Indiana from the Indianapolis area because of her husband’s job, she had many people tell her about Community Healthcare System and its hospitals, outpatient centers, strong values and dedicated staff members who work relentless to serve their patients.
“We live by our mission statements and our values, which is really encouraging to me,” Wildman said. “Everybody is so friendly — from our valets and volunteers to our ancillary nurses and physicians.”
In her spare time, Wildman likes to knit, sew, spend time with her grandson and travel. She and her husband have been to 43 of the 50 states, and they hope to travel to the remaining seven states together.
For more information about what makes Community Healthcare System a great place to work, visit comhs.org/careers.
