In honor of National Nurses Week, we celebrate the compassion, expertise, and dedication that nurses bring to the lives of our members and communities every day. At Fidelis Care, nurses are at the heart of our mission, advocating for better health, guiding members through care, and showing up with empathy when it matters most. This week, we spotlight six of our incredible nurses, who share their personal perspectives.
Mary Oyedijo
RN, Senior Care Manager
What inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing field?
I was drawn to nursing because I’ve always felt called to protect, advocate, and serve. It’s one of the few professions where science, compassion, and courage meet every day. Nursing gave me the ability to care for people during their most vulnerable moments while blending clinical skill with empathy, cultural awareness, and advocacy. As a Black woman navigating complex systems myself, I understood how critical it is for patients and families to feel seen, heard, and respected. Today, that calling continues at Fidelis Care, where I focus on education, prevention, and empowerment in communities that are too often overlooked.
What is your message for National Nurses Week?
Nursing is power. The quiet power of competence, the steady power of advocacy, and the strength of showing up when resources are limited. To every nurse, your work matters far beyond what you may ever see. The calm you bring, the education you provide, and the lives you touch ripple well past your shift. Caring for yourself is not optional. Rest is not weakness, boundaries are not selfish, and growth is not disloyal. We are leaders, innovators, and change‑makers, and our voices matter.
Shauna McConnell
RN, Senior Care Manager
What inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing field?
I was inspired by my mother, family members, and friends who are nurses. I started as a dietary aide in a nursing home and decided to become a certified nursing assistant. I feel like I make a difference in helping patients feel heard, respected, and properly cared for. My motivation came from supporting people during tough times, offering medical expertise and emotional comfort, and seeing firsthand the difference that compassionate nurses make.
What is your message for National Nurses Week?
Happy Nurses Week! I wish you all a wonderful Nurses Week filled with appreciation for the incredible impact you make every day. Your kindness and empathy make a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families. Treat others as you would want to be treated!
Sara Tompkins
RN, Care Management Supervisor
What inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing field?
As a child, I spent a lot of time in the hospital with multiple long inpatient admissions during infancy and adolescence. As a result of those prolonged stays, I grew very close to the nurses that took care of me and my family. It is due to this personal experience that I became a nurse in 2003 and have dedicated my entire nursing practice to the care of medically fragile children and their caregivers.
What is your message for National Nurses Week?
Pediatric nursing is especially important right now as children and families navigate increasingly complex challenges. Pediatric nurses play a critical role not only in delivering skilled, compassionate care, but also in advocating for children who may not yet have a voice of their own. By supporting families and promoting prevention and early intervention, we help lay the foundation for healthier futures. Our work strengthens families and communities, and deserves recognition every day.
Patricia Heck
RN, Utilization Review Nurse
What inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing field?
Helping others comes naturally to me. I felt the need to help more and try to make a difference in people’s lives and support them in their most vulnerable times or given situation.
What is your message for National Nurses Week?
To all the wonderful and outstanding nurses out there who dedicate themselves to hard work and compassion, just know that you have made a significant difference in the lives of many others. Maybe that difference was laughing with a client, soothing them, or helping them to better understand their medical situation. You have impacted people along the way more than you realize. Never lose that passion for nursing.
Anthony Ugbala
RN, Senior Care Manager
What inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing field?
I became a nurse because helping people has always been at the heart of who I am. As a Nigerian immigrant, I have seen the impact of limited access to care, and it fuels my wish for affordable healthcare for everyone in America. My journey in nursing is also a commitment to one day support and strengthen the healthcare system in Nigeria.
What is your message for National Nurses Week?
This week, we honor nurses not only for the work they do, but also for the values they embody: compassion, justice, resilience, and humanity. Their impact extends far beyond hospital walls, touching families, neighborhoods, and entire communities. To every nurse, thank you for your courage, your heart, and your relentless pursuit of a healthier, more equitable world. Your work matters, and so do you.
Christina Callen
RN, Nurse Care Manager
What inspired you to pursue a career in the nursing field?
My first inspiration to join nursing came from my mother, whose influence shaped my commitment to compassion and service. I was driven by a desire to help people during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives by offering comfort, reassurance, and advocacy to individuals and families navigating uncertainty or fear. Listening and providing meaningful support is what makes this work fulfilling for me.
What is your message for National Nurses Week?
Nursing is a calling shaped by commitment, compassion, and courageous advocacy. As healthcare continues to evolve, nurses stand as authentic stewards of comfort and care by adapting, leading, and serving with integrity. To the nurses out there, be the lasting change that makes a difference in every life you touch!