The Westview News

Press Release
Blain Earns June Employee of the Month
Date
June 4, 2019

     Almost every employee of Westview Health Care Center in the last twenty-two years will know Jill Blain. Not only is she well known, she is much appreciated; and that status was affirmed by her selection as their May Employee of the Month.

     As the Director of Staff Education/RN Nurse Consultant she simultaneously exhibits her great wealth of knowledge alongside her own constant curiosity for more learning. This is evident in her educational background, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Assumption College, a Nursing degree from Quinsigamond Community College, and a Master of Science degree from the University of Phoenix.

     The main concentrations of her Masters degree represent the most focused description of Jill’s interests, in that she specialized in Nursing Education, Healthcare Administration, and Nursing Research. Jill’s synchronized interest in teaching others at the same time she learns more about the latest advances in medical treatment not only maintains her spark for patient care—it inspires the same passion in the staff members she works with.

     Jill joined the Westview team in 1997. Early in her career at the Dayville Nursing facility she took on the responsibilities of a second-shift Relief Nursing Supervisor and from this start, she not only understood the culture of Westview employees; she knew she had the ability to contribute more and more to it. Shortly after earning her Master’s degree (which included a focus in nursing education) she became adjunct faculty at Three Rivers Community College and annually leads classes of nursing students through clinical training at Westview. Bringing the whole experience full circle, she now works alongside a graduate of one of her very first nursing classes who serves the role of Westview’s Infection Control Coordinator. Beyond these impressive accomplishments in our local medical region, Jill has professional memberships in the National League for Nursing, The American Association of Directors of Nursing Services, The National Gerontological Nursing Association, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

      A resident of Pomfret, CT, Jill leads a happy life with her husband Ronald, their three children Shaina, David, and Daniel, Shelby the dog, and her four cats: Timmy, Gracie, Scotty, and Moxy. All of her children have also worked at Westview as Dietary Aides at some point, and Shaina has even continued to achieve a position as a Physical Therapy Assistant in Westview’s Therapy Department.

      In her personal life, Jill maintains the same positive approach and devotion to individual development that she exhibits in the professional setting. When difficult times arise in the medical setting she knows she can find strength in her vast education, or she knows the right people and resources to find a solution. Similarly, when Jill faces challenges in her life outside of patient care or teaching, she knows to find strength in faith and that the best resources in these situations are your loved ones—whether they have two legs or four. Her love for family and pets is a vital elixir that she applies to her spirit on a daily basis. She believes that true wellness is achieved by coordinated efforts to help your mind, body and soul. This love of animals extends to a broader love for the great outdoors and she enjoys camping everywhere between forested mountains and sandy coastlines. Even amidst one of her own recreational pursuits—yoga—she still desires to help others! Jill is currently pursing certification as a yoga instructor.

     Jill Blain is certainly an extremely knowledgeable, passionate, persistent worker, but furthermore, she is appreciated, enjoyed, and celebrated by her colleagues. Add humility to her growing list of attributes, because her surprise to this acknowledgment is genuine: “I am honored and humbled by this recognition. It has been a privilege to work and grow both personally and professionally among my Westview family. I get to do what I love, love what I do, and love those I do it with.” Jill knows that as a health care provider it is just as important to have a positive attitude as it is a stethoscope or bandages or ibuprofen. She goes on to add: “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”

      Westview Administrator David Panteleakos stated, “Jill is an amazing individual and leader who has dedicated her career to caring, helping and teaching others. Her ongoing pursuit of academic prowess, while an active practitioner, has provided Jill the rare and invaluable tools to lead others towards excellence in nursing care.”

Westview Health Care Center is a 103-bed inpatient skilled nursing facility, which includes a distinct and self-contained 28-bed sub-acute short-term rehabilitation unit and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapies including: Sports Medicine, Adolescent/Pediatric, Adult and Aquatic Outpatient Centers, all dedicated to providing outstanding quality health care services. The facility is located in Dayville, Connecticut and is ranked among the top nursing facilities in the nation according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service; and U.S. News and World Report for the past 12 years.