Julie Votsis, RN, BSN
Charge Nurse

Background

I became interested in nursing after I started volunteering at Genesee Hospital in high school. I received my BSN degree at St. John Fisher College in 2005. While in nursing school, I was a tech at Strong Memorial Hospital for a high-risk OB unit and the same day surgery unit.

Time and Career Path at Highland Hospital

I came to Highland in 2006. It was clear from the beginning that this would be a place where I could thrive. Everyone here is very generous and teamwork oriented, so I've been able to improve my skill set much faster than I might have done elsewhere.

I joined the Evarts Joint Center in August 2006 and have quickly moved from a new graduate to charge nurse. As a new nurse, I had great support and training, which helped to build my confidence. Now as a preceptor to new graduates, I'm able to give the same kind of support I received. I was selected as Nurse of Excellence in 2007, and I also assumed the position of co-chair of our unit council.

Highland provides nurses many opportunities to further their education through certifications and tuition assistance for advancements in degrees. As a result, I'm currently working towards my Master's degree at the University of Rochester School of Nursing and plan to become a certified orthopaedic nurse.

My Dominant Personality Traits

Nursing is not work for me; it's just part of who I am. I'm always pushing myself to do the best I can and to learn more. I'm driven by a desire to make things better for others and am always willing to help. I'm a compassionate and calm person who enjoys the challenges of critical thinking and time management.

About the Orthopedic Unit (E6)

The Evarts Joint Center is great: I love seeing our patients' progress from the day of their surgeries to the day they leave. I can see what I've been able to do for them, and it makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Our patient population varies from 18-year-old patients with Juvenile Arthritis to 100-year-olds getting surgery for comfort measures. We see joint replacement surgeries as our primary cases, but we also see patients for revisions of previous replacements, shoulder surgeries and, most recently, orthopaedic oncology patients, as well as spinal surgeries such as a kyphoplasty.

Our focus for our patients is to provide post-operative care and rehabilitation. We work with the doctors to provide continuous pain control to keep our patients comfortable and promote early mobility. Our unit is fast paced and requires great critical thinking and time management skills. Our nurses are experts in joint surgery, and are certified geriatric, telemetry, and ACLS nurses as well. We use our vast nursing skills to care for our diverse patient population.

I believe our unit is a perfect example of family here at Highland. Teamwork is a natural occurrence, and our manager sets the tone. She's always available. Our patient care technicians are valued as knowledgeable peers, and the nurse-to-nurse relationship consists of respect and trust. We also have great rapport with our physicians and providers, who appreciate us and what we do, and trust the care we provide to our patients.

Above all, customer service and excellent care are our top priorities here at the Evarts Joint Center. We continually see our hard work paying off, as we've had top patient satisfaction scores in the hospital. We believe our patients should be treated in the most knowledgeable, professional, and compassionate way. I truly enjoy coming to work every day. At the end of the day, being content and satisfied with our jobs allows us to pass that positive attitude to our patients, which in turn aids in their hospital stay and recovery. It's very rewarding being able to see that you helped a person walk pain-free for the first time in years.