Carrie Boyles, RN, works in the infusion center and perioperative care at Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital. She’s been with our ministry for almost 10 years and was a nursing assistant for more than seven of them before becoming a nurse.
“When I transitioned from being an aide to a registered nurse, I valued the ability and power to help the patient with more than just personal care,” Carrie explains. “I’m also able to advocate for them – to give them something for their pain when that call light is ringing, to help them understand why they are on certain medications and listen to their problems, questions or concerns. Just being able to give them what they need and show them kindness, care and respect is very rewarding to me.”
Carrie grew in her career with our team and is deeply passionate about her work as a nurse – as well as her cake baking and cake decorating hobby outside of work!
“I started making cakes for all my children’s birthdays. Also, I have a child that has Celiac disease, and I could not find a good gluten-free cake that not only tasted good but had amazing character of some sort, too. So, I decided to really look into how to make and decorate the best cake for my children and from there my friends would order a cake, and their friends as well.”
Her cakes are often called “Carrie’s Cakes” and she has been lovingly referred to as “Carrie the Cake Lady.”
“I truly love to do it. It’s so relaxing and fun,” she says of baking cakes. “I also feel cake baking and decorating translates to my work as a nurse by making sure my customers get the very best. Just like in nursing, I want to make an everlasting positive impression and impact. I want the same for both my customers and patients.”
Carrie continues, “if nursing was a hobby, I would do it for fun as well. I come to work not because it’s my job but because I truly love helping others and putting a smile on the faces of my patients, their families and my coworkers.”
Carrie feels she was called to a career in nursing in so many ways.
“A few weeks ago, I had the honor to care for a patient who just so happened to be a nurse who cared for my father many years ago,” she explains. “That very nurse is one of the reasons I became a nurse in the first place. I shared with her how she inspired me to become a nurse. She was one of the most caring nurses I have ever met, and I wanted to be just like her. She had no clue that she had made such a powerful impact on my life and that day I was able to return that care and love to her. I strive every day to have that type of impact of someone’s life like she had on mine.”
She adds, “another story that has forever changed my life as a nurse was the passing of my stepson. He passed away in January from the flu. The amount of love, care and support from the nurses, doctors and staff that cared for him was so moving – as well as my coworkers and managers that cared for me during this time, too. What a remarkable group of nurses St. Joe’s has. God has truly blessed me, and Mercy Health, with some amazing nurses.”
May is National Nurses Month. To all our nurses, we thank you for the excellent care you provide our patients every day! Read more of our nurses’ stories to celebrate.
Also, if you’re a nurse or a health care professional, we invite you to explore and pursue a career with us.
