Nurses Week Highlight #4

Petrina Gavrilis, Ansbach Army Health Clinic community health nurse, hails from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was a volunteer at a VA hospital and enjoyed nursing, so that’s when she decided that was her calling. She has been a nurse since 1988. She went through ROTC when she was in nursing school and served as a nurse in the military as a public health nurse. She is retired military and a nurse practitioner. She said, “I find it rewarding when you can give patients’ education and when the light goes on and they understand it, and it actually helps them have a healthier life, whether it’s how to take their medication or prevention.” She enjoys helping new mothers, especially when it comes to teaching parenting skills. The most difficult part of being a nurse for Givrilis is when she knows someone who is really sick and “you feel like you are helpless and can’t help them.” She likes to joke around because humor is important. And, having the support of other nurses and colleagues helps her deal with the stresses of her job. “We have a lot of nursing jokes,” she said.