Tammy G. – "Encouraging"

As a nurse and as a leader, Tammy treats her patients and her staff the way she would want to be treated. Her thoughtful and encouraging nature makes her very approachable, enabling her to resolve issues easily, support the needs of her staff and ensure patients receive excellent care.

Ever since first grade, she knew she wanted to be a nurse. Growing up, her grandparents modeled the heart of a caregiver, always reaching out and helping others in their community. Tammy was raised to take care of those around her, so that’s what she wanted to do.

As her grandparents’ health declined, she watched her aunts and uncles do everything they could to care for them. Tammy saw the hardships it put on her family as they struggled to make sure someone was always there to care for them and keep them safe at home. This experience influenced her career choices and fueled her passion for home healthcare.

Tammy’s heart for nursing grew even stronger after a traumatic experience led one nurse to stay by her side long after her shift was over because she knew that’s what she needed. This nurse had such a profound impact on Tammy’s life. It confirmed nursing was what she wanted to do, and that was the kind of nurse she wanted to be.

For the first six years of her career, Tammy worked as a nurse at a skilled nursing facility. Afterwards, she spent six years at a local hospital in discharge planning. In this role, she often gave referrals to home health agencies and that’s how she learned about Interim HealthCare. They always did an exceptional job caring for the patients she referred to them. So, when a position opened up, she applied. In September of 2008, Tammy joined Interim HealthCare in Gastonia, NC as a Community Physician Liaison. “I’ve always wanted to work where the patient comes first, and that’s not anything I ever have to question here,” said Tammy.

In her initial role, she visited new referrals in the hospital, met with families, educated the community on their services and recruited new employees. In 2011, Tammy transitioned to the role of Branch Manager, overseeing the day-to-day operations of their Shelby office. Eventually, she was asked to manage their Gastonia office as well, and was promoted to Area Manager. 

The most rewarding part of Tammy’s job has been the focused care they provide their clients. When they are with a patient, they are the only patient at that moment. “Not being on a time schedule and having an administrative staff that supports you and allows you to provide that kind of care is very rare,” said Tammy. It’s more like a work family; they all work together to ensure everything goes well for their patients, and for each other.

She recalls one special patient who was in and out of the hospital a lot. His sister and mother were both patients of theirs at one time, but had since passed. On one occasion, he didn’t want to return to the hospital but finally agreed after talking with Tammy. Before leaving, he gave her his apartment keys and said “Hold onto these, because you’re the only family I’ve got.” Later that evening, she received a call from the ICU saying he had listed her as a family member. He knew that Tammy wanted him to be home and for him to do well. And that day, she knew, this was exactly where she needed to be.“I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I was made to be part of an agency that puts the patient first. I found that here,” she said. Without question, Tammy is made for this!