Kim Bond says that she isn’t really certain that she decided on a career in nursing.

“I sometimes feel like nursing chose me rather than the other way around,” said Kim, who serves as the assistant director of nursing for health care at Aberdeen Village in Olathe, Kansas. “I got a job as a nurse assistant while in high school simply because I wanted a little spending money. I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but it was a fit right from the start and I’ve never left.”

Kim has worked as a nurse since 1987, and she came to Aberdeen Village in 2016. Prior to that, she worked for Kansas City Presbyterian Manor. In her role at Aberdeen Village, she serves as the lead wound care nurse, leads the restorative nursing program and helps orient new nurses on staff.

“Every day is definitely different,” she said. “I’ve worked in hospitals, home health and nursing facilities. There are so many kinds of nursing you can do, it never gets boring.”

In Kim’s view, it’s a matter of heart that compels people to enter a career in nursing.

“I think many people are caregivers at heart and choose nursing as a way to make a positive impact on other people’s lives,” she said.

Kim pointed to the importance of teamwork and help from nursing assistants as key components in delivering quality, compassionate care to Aberdeen Village residents. While nurses work most closely with residents, they also have to build a bond of trust — not just with the resident, but with family members and others on staff.

“I have a lot of respect for the role nurse assistants play in a community like Aberdeen, and we have some of the best I’ve ever worked with here,” Kim said. “I teach a nurse assistant course at the community college, so I have a hand in taking people with a desire to be a caregiver and giving them the tools they need to become certified and work as a nurse assistant. I love bringing my students to Aberdeen Village for the clinical part of class, because this community provides a great example of person-centered care.”

This year is officially the Year of the Nurse, to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of legendary nurse Florence Nightingale. It’s a great opportunity to pause and reflect on the contributions nurses make in the everyday lives of all of us — including those who call Aberdeen Village home.

“One of my all-time favorite quotes by Florence Nightingale is ‘Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives,’” Kim said. “Those words still hold true today, and it’s important we celebrate nurses and their ability to constantly learn and adapt to be able to provide the best possible care to their patients.”

She sees those words lived out by the nurses at Aberdeen Village who strive every day to put their patients at the center of their work.

“I love working with this great team,” she said. “Every employee in every department here tries to do their job with our residents’ interests in mind.”

Outside of work, Kim is often busy with her family, which includes three children and four grandchildren.

“I like going on road trips and I’m always excited to go to a new place and try to get a true sense of that particular community,” Kim said. “I am an avid reader, and I much prefer print books to e-books.”

The World Health Organization designated 2020 as “the year of the nurse.” This observation coincides with the 200th birth anniversary of revolutionary nurse Florence Nightingale, whose leadership forever elevated the nursing profession. Throughout the year, PMMA communities will shine a spotlight on nurses as part of this global recognition. You can share your nurse story by sending an email to 2020YearoftheNurse@pmma.org.

‍