“I have a passion for caring for the elderly,” says Gregory Cortez-Griffith, Certified Nursing Assistant from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After caring for his grandmother, Gregory decided to pursue a career in nursing because it gave him a sense of fulfillment he hadn’t experienced before. He started his nursing career after caring for his grandmother, realizing that it gave him a sense of fulfillment he hadn’t found before. “I’m a helper. It’s who I am.” People always say to him, “you have such a big heart, and you’re great with people.”
So, Gregory decided to give nursing school a try. “I actually went to the community college to get my pre-requisite courses complete. But, to be honest, I got a little overwhelmed with the whole process, especially doing it full time. So I stopped for a little bit due to my anxiety.”
Although the first try was hard for him, Gregory doesn’t give up. Now that he’s moved to Harrisburg, he’s looking to transfer his credits and start his education back up part-time. He’s currently living with his sister, who is also in the healthcare space, working as a Primary Care Assistant. “She has four little ones, so I’m trying to help her with the kids, and she’s trying to help me with getting my education. She’s also planning to go back to school to get her nursing license.” Caring for people is part of Gregory’s identity, whether he’s caring for a resident at a nursing facility or helping his sister further her nursing career alongside him.
Although Gregory understands the importance of earning an income, nursing means so much more to him.
“Even when I’m having a bad day and would rather be at home, I know that the residents I care for would rather be home, too. That’s why I love putting smiles on their faces and try my best to go above and beyond. That way, when I leave, I know I positively impacted someone’s day. It makes me feel better when I do that.”
Eight-hour shifts don’t feel like enough time for Gregory to give quality care to his residents. “Sometimes, I end the day feeling like I haven’t done enough, especially when we’re short-staffed. I leave the facility feeling like I could have done better or could have done more for the residents.”
Like many of his fellow nursing professionals, Gregory experienced burnout due to being overworked and having inflexible schedules. His inflexible schedule that gave him stress and prevented him from continuing his education is what led him to IntelyCare.
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“When I was trying to get my education, I worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to support myself and then had school work the whole week. I got overwhelmed because some of my assignments were assigned on Friday and had to be done by Monday, so I didn’t have time to complete them with the weekend shifts I was taking. And it didn’t help that my anxiety would kick in, too. So I found out through a friend of mine about IntelyCare. He told me that you could make your own schedule and work as much or as little as you need. I thought it would be a great solution because you can work when you’re not in class or when you’ve finished your assignments, even if you can’t predict months in advance when that will be. It’s also been especially helpful when my sister and I moved because I don’t have to switch jobs completely, I can just pick up shifts in a new location.”
Reflecting on how far he’s come in his nursing journey, Gregory says that if he were to give advice to his younger self, he’d say to “stay calm, don’t be so hard yourself, and don’t worry about what others think,” adding that, “at the end of the day, you got this. You’re capable of achieving your goals. And don’t let anybody come between you and your happiness and fulfillment.”
After a tough day, Gregory likes to come home to a warm shower and listen to classical music. “I usually like to listen to the radio but my sister just bought me a record player. I love old music so I can’t wait to use it! I haven’t had time to go online and pick out records but I hope to find some Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson albums.”
Gregory also likes to go hiking on trails and spend time with his sister, nieces, and nephews. “I like to take them out on adventures to see nature and to explore new things in general. It always brings us joy to be in nature together.”
Gregory’s compassionate spirit, positive attitude, and never-give-up mentality are what make him such a great care provider and IntelyPro.
IntelyCare gives nursing professionals like Beth the ability to transform the way they work. Are you ready to take control of your life? Apply today to get started.
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