SHELTON, WA – Amy Nussbaum, RN, has explored many different careers, however, none have given her as much fulfillment as being a nurse at Mason General Hospital. Nussbaum is a fifth generation Sheltonian, and her love for her community shines through in her work — with her sunny demeanor, she advocates for patients and supports her team whenever needed. For all these reasons and more, Nussbaum’s peers have selected her as Mason Health’s May 2022 Employee of the Month.

Nussbaum started at Mason Health in 2013, working night-shift in the Medical/Surgical/Pediatrics unit, where she still works today. After two years on night shift, she was promoted to charge nurse, in charge of the floor, and now she regularly mentors and trains new nurses and students. She loves the fast-paced environment of her unit and has never felt bored in the time she has worked here.

“Amy consistently shows support to this hospital in so many ways,” said Nussbaum’s nominator, Carol Williamson, RN Supervisor. “She goes above and beyond to get her patients the follow-up care they need. She supports safe staffing by flexing her schedule to work nights when needed. She volunteered twice in 2021 to work an entire month on night shift. She mentors in a kind and comprehensive way.”

Nussbaum has deep roots in the community. Her grandmother’s family were among the founding families of Shelton. Nussbaum graduated from Shelton High School in 1995 and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she graduated from University of California – Santa Cruz with a degree in photography. She spent seven years in the Bay Area, working as a customer service agent for the makeup company Sephora. She regularly flew around the country training team members at various stores, until the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks halted air travel. She decided at that time to move back home to Mason County.

Nussbaum worked in Union as a bartender at the Alderbrook Resort and at Robin Hood Restaurant, where she met her husband, Brian. In 2004, they married. Nussbaum worked in the Mason County Clerk’s Office for a few years, took some time off to be with her sons at home and later worked as an emergency substitute teacher.

Seeing an advertisement in the newspaper looking for nurses, Nussbaum’s father encouraged her to pursue the career. With a “why not?” attitude, Nussbaum began to take pre-requisite and nursing classes. For the first time in her working life, she felt things fall into place.

“Before nursing, I had no idea what I wanted to do,” she said. “I was always getting bored at my jobs. This is my calling. I had always been good at school, and I’ve always been good with people. I started taking classes, and everything just clicked.”

Nussbaum obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant license and worked for a few months at a local assisted living facility. She won awards in nursing school and graduated in the top of her class. She enjoyed working in her community and set her sights on Mason General Hospital.

“I knew I wanted to work at Mason Health,” she said. “This is my hometown. When I started here, I felt nothing but accepted. I’ve always felt like part of the team. My opinions are valid and noted. I love my patients and I learn so much from them. I’m so grateful to work where we have a good patient-nurse ratio, and I can spend time with them.”

Nussbaum would encourage anyone to consider a career in nursing.

“This is a field where you have so many different kinds of jobs, so there is something for everybody,” she said. “If you want to help people, if you want to feel good at the end of your workday, this is the job for you. This job allows me to give back to the community that raised me. I know in my heart that this is what I am supposed to do, what I’m meant to do. We need more people who feel this way.”

In her spare time, Nussbaum enjoys spending time with her three sons and husband. She also loves woodworking, gardening and photography.

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. Mason General Hospital and Mason Clinic are ENERGY STAR® certified and Mason Health is the recipient of the Practice Greenhealth Partner for Change Environmental Excellence Award. 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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