This Nurses Week, Brightview Senior Living extends a huge congratulations to one of our Baltimore Magazine’s Excellence in Nursing Award winners: Cecilia “CeCe” Mambo. Mambo worked up the ladder at Brightview, starting as a Resident Assistance in 2005 and going to school to further her nursing education. She has served as the Health Services Director at Brightview Mays Chapel Ridge since 2013.
We asked Mambo a little more about her nursing background, what her days look like, and why a nursing career with Brightview has proved so stimulating and rewarding for her. Visit our careers section for more information on a health and wellness career with Brightview Senior Living.
Q: Tell me about your nursing background.
Mambo: I started as a Resident Assistant at Brightview Mays Chapel Ridge in March 2005, helping residents with their activities of daily living. At the same time, I was going to school to get my LPN. In 2006, Brightview sent me to a Med Tech class so that I could complete that certification. I received my LPN and continued moving up the ladder with Brightview. I started working as a Wellness Nurse while continuing school. Brightview was very supportive of my education; I was getting some tuition reimbursement. In 2010, I became an RN and a BSN in 2012. I loved what I was doing here – I loved working with residents and their families. In 2013, I was promoted to Health Services Director.
Q: What made you consider the move to Brightview Senior Living?
Mambo: I really enjoyed working with seniors. At the time, my mom had some chronic issues, and I was helping her. I also appreciated the flexible schedule. Brightview gave me that balance between work, school, and family.
Q: Tell me what a typical day looks like in your role.
Mambo: As a Health Services Director, I connect with the team and check any notes from the previous day when I come in each day. We have a Director Stand Up meeting every morning to discuss any issues or new residents coming into the community. We provide care at Brightview very holistically; care comes from those serving in the Dining Room to those cleaning the apartments to the ones bringing activities to residents. Every day is a learning day at Brightview. I also help coordinate care services. We can bring different services to the community; residents don’t have to go out for podiatry, physical, occupational, speech therapy, and many other services. We try to bring them to the community so that residents receive the services in the comfort of their homes. As a nurse at Brightview, you are a nurse coordinator, supervisor, delegator, and advocate.
Q: What is attractive about nursing positions in Brightview communities?
Mambo: Being a caregiver at Brightview gives you a lot of experience. You get to connect with residents and their families and form long-lasting relationships. It helps you improve resident health outcomes, too; if something is going on, you can pick up on subtle changes in their health and implement any changes.
Q: What is one thing that has surprised you about your career with Brightview?
Mambo: How fulfilling, empowering, challenging, and enriching being a nurse in Assisted Living is. Most people look at nurses in the senior living industry and think all we do is administer medication and help with activities of daily living. We do so much more than that. You are coordinating care and critically thinking. We play a vital role in the health of our residents. You are collaborating care so the residents can receive it here in the community. You work a lot independently, you have to make quick decisions on the floor, and you are always thinking outside the box to make sure you are providing quality care to the residents. Also, the opportunity to grow within the company is very surprising. Most companies don’t offer that.
Another surprising aspect of Brightview is the leadership – how accessible, approachable, and supportive the leadership is all the way from the Executive Director to the President of the company. We can call them or reach out to them whenever we have an issue or need support. We see them in the communities helping us and supporting us.
Q: What advice would you give to a fellow nurse considering a move to senior living?
Mambo: What are you waiting for? Come and join this fulfilling industry. If you have the love and passion for working with seniors, this is the field you should be in. There are so many growth opportunities. If you like to work independently and develop the skills you have, this is your opportunity. If you love to work with residents, this is the career for you. You know residents for years, and you form long-lasting relationships. You become one big Brightview family.
Q: What makes you most proud of being a nurse?
Mambo: I love what I do. Making a difference, putting a smile on a resident’s or their family’s face brings me joy. I am proud to be entrusted by families to take the best care of their loved ones. The long-lasting relationships we form and the opportunity to give residents purposeful, engaging, and thriving days are special.
Brightview Senior Living builds, owns, and operates award-winning vibrant senior living communities in eight states along the East Coast: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. We offer senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Enhanced Care, and Wellspring Village™, a specialized neighborhood for people living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Schedule a personal visit to experience our communities firsthand.