2021 Health Care Champions Nurse: Jennifer Ruit

Jennifer Ruit goes into work every day with an intent to make a difference in the lives of the people she will encounter.

“I find myself having the unique ability to help people from all walks of life improve their health and wellbeing,” Ruit says. “I have the ability to change lives and provide comfort and support to this wonderful community. It is my honor to serve those that need me.”

As the clinic triage nurse at CoxHealth Family Medicine and Obstetrics, Ruit has not put on the full-body protective gear that those who care for COVID-19 patients must wear. Her role in combatting the pandemic has been elsewhere. 

She provides support before, during and after a patient’s fight with COVID. She has evaluated symptomatic people and determined their next step in the medical process. She makes house calls, sometimes daily, to check the condition of those fighting the virus at home and ensure that those patients know they are not alone.

All of this falls under Ruit’s expectations for her role as a nurse, but she doesn’t see herself as only a nurse. She also sees herself as an educator, supporter, cheerleader and friend.

In all these roles, Ruit finds her motivation to excel from her patients.

“When I see positive outcomes in my patients, that is enough to motivate me to keep going,” she says. “When I get thanks from those I have helped, regardless of how big the task was, it motivates me to move on and help the next person.”

Ruit says it’s her role to provide support and comfort not only to her patients, but also to her co-workers. She isn’t afraid to shed a tear with those around her or to celebrate with them when they get great news.

As a result of this approach, Ruit was honored with a Daisy Award by CoxHealth. She received the award after performing an act of kindness toward a sick child.

“I placed a simple card in the mail to a sick child with some ‘magic stickers’ inside to help him feel better and recover from his illness,” Ruit says. “My Daisy Award was given simply because I was being kind to a sick child, and to me, there is no prouder moment in my career.”

 She is participating in continuing education but is not pursuing additional degrees or certifications. It is something that she has considered, but she enjoys her job and clinic.

“If I can work at the top of my LPN license and make a difference in the lives of my patients, I am fulfilling a need in the Ozarks, and that is enough for me to be happy,” Ruit says.

She works every day with a focus on taking care of her family. She is willing to work after hours and weekends to care for her patients and co-workers who make up her work family, and she cares for her family at home every day.

Ruit’s position is a multifaceted one. She responds to patients’ questions, fills prescriptions, provides test results and advocates for patients as a liaison between them and primary care provider. She coordinates with specialty clinics, fosters a working relationship between the clinic and outside agencies, like home health and hospice care, and manages incoming communications.

“I can provide support and encouragement to a new mother who is sleep deprived, information on how to treat diaper rash or information on how to assist in life-threatening situations like choking or cardiac arrest,” Ruit says. “The best way I can help the community is simply by doing my job.”