Following in the footsteps of her mother, Christine Harper always knew she had what it took to become a registered nurse –a profession that enabled her to put her own motherly skills to work for the good of many others.
"My mother is a retired registered nurse, and I have sisters that are registered nurses," said Harper. "But it was also the real desire to become a caretaker."
"I've always been a caretaker as a mother, and I wanted to do it professionally as well."
Riverside gave Harper a path and the encouragement to follow her dreams.
"I decided to get my bachelor's degree first, as a registered nurse. And Riverside was very supportive of that and my education and moving forward in my career," she said.
The reward? Being able to truly make a difference in someone's day, said Harper, now a Registered Nurse at Riverside's Heron Cove at Sanders retirement community on Main Street in the Gloucester Village.
"Just making the patient or the residents' day," she said. "Making a difference in their day and how they feel is one of the best feelings as a nurse."
For Harper, being a part of the Riverside workplace is a blessing. It's a family environment where cooperation and communication are paramount.
"In Heron Cove at Sanders, the teamwork here is just extraordinary. Everyone works together to get the job done to ensure that residents are safe, and the communication is great," Harper said.
"I'm very blessed to be a part of the team here."