SHELTON, WA – Blanca Rivas Perez officially started at Mason Health in 2016, in the Birth Center, as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). However, her initial introduction to the Mason Health culture happened about 8 years ago.

For the first time, Blanca came to the organization when she was a freshman in high school. She took a job-shadowing opportunity as she felt, from a very young age, a desire to help people through nursing. In 2016, Blanca was hired by Mason Health as a CNA. From that point forward, she has never stopped admiring the community feel of the clinic that always inspired her to seek new ways of enhancing Mason Health experience for every patient.

Blanca moved to Shelton with her family in 2001, when she was 6 years old. Having Spanish as her first language helps her to provide interpreting services for the Spanish-speaking patients of Mason Health. In addition to this, Blanca does mainly CNA and secretary work at the Birth Center. She is currently planning on expanding her expertise at Mason General.

“I want to become a labor-and-delivery nurse here at Mason Health. This fall, I am starting my prerequisites for nursing. It will take me 3 years to get my degree. Hopefully, I can manage working and studying simultaneously.”

Her field of choice in the nursing is based on her love for kids.

“I have 2 boys myself, 3-year-old and 1-year-old. I delivered them here, at our Birth Center. If I could do it all over again, I would not change a thing. I trust my coworkers completely.”

Blanca likes the professionalism of Mason Health providers and the community feel of the organization.

“It feels like a second home here at the hospital. Our Birth Center is very small. We are essentially a bunch of sisters back there who are very protective of each other. I work with an amazing group of ladies.”

Blanca has several medical professionals in her family related to her mother. She was raised with an attitude that helping other people is the most natural and essential thing to do. Blanca joked that working at the Birth Center makes her want to have kids every year.

“It’s so nice to cuddle with the newborns and be present in the most precious moments of every family’s life. It gives me flashbacks to when my boys were little.”

Blanca has plans and career aspirations at Mason Health. Since she is very engaged in community life, she sees that the Hispanic population is lacking educational resources related to childcare concerns. Blanca considers infant car-safety as one of the hottest topics today.

“I see that a lot of parents in the Hispanic community are unaware of the importance of proper car seats for their babies. I would like to become a certified car-seat expert and film some educational videos on how to protect your baby on the road. If people can’t afford buying car seats, we can set up a fund to assist them.”

In her free time, Blanca likes to be with her boys and husband. She is also fond of making her own jewelry. Blanca is a young woman who already has so much stamina and passion for her job and Mason Health. Blanca is an amazing member of Mason Health community, and her title as the Employee of the Month is very well-deserved.

Mason Health, Public Hospital District No. 1 of Mason County, is certified by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and is a licensed and accredited acute care hospital with a level four emergency trauma designation. There are more than 100 physicians on staff in 19 specialties. For more information or to find a health care provider, visit www.MasonGeneral.com.

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