When Sandra Ibarra’s daughter was 7, she got into an accident riding her four-wheeler. Around the same time, she was taking care of her injured daughter, Ibarra found herself unemployed. With four kids, she decided to go to college, get a degree in nursing and pursue a career in health care. 

Today, she’s interim director of the Powell Valley Care Center. She’s a couple months into a six-month trial position. If Ibarra and the hospital both feel it’s a good fit after that time, she’ll be in the position permanently.

So far, it’s working out for her. 

“I love it,” Ibarra said. “It’s been really hectic, though.”

Ibarra is on familiar ground. She was previously a floor nurse at the care center, and has worked there for 11 years. That long experience, she said, helps her understand the challenges the staff faces.

“I want the staff to feel they’re being heard, and their needs are being met. If that’s the case, then our residents’ needs are being met as well,” Ibarra said. “Ultimately, the residents are the most important part of our jobs.”

She is also no stranger to the area.

“I’m a niner, and proud to be a Lovell girl,” Ibarra said.  

While doing clinicals at the care center for her nursing degree, Ibarra went to the director of nursing at the time and said she needed a job. She knew the night and weekend shifts were the hardest to fill, and those were the hours she needed while she was in school. 

“They hired me at the interview,” Ibarra said. 

One of the biggest challenges in her current role as interim director is the staffing shortages. It’s very difficult to fill positions, and the care center has had staff out due to COVID-19 infections. That situation is improving, Ibarra said, but with a thin crew, anyone out sick will stress the situation.

The care center had to suspend visitation for about a month, but it’s now gone long enough without a positive COVID test among staff that it’s returned to the normal procedures. By appointment, residents can have up to two visitors at a time. The visitors must be 16 years or older, undergo a screening and wear a mask. 

Besides extensive experience at the care center, Ibarra said she’s benefitted from the mentoring of previous nursing directors at the care center, Jason Gedney and Janet Spomer.

Ibarra said her optimism also helps with the job.

“My motto is to always wake up happy,” she said. “The bumps in the road are easier to deal with if you start at the top of the mountain.”