HealthLinks Upstate July/August 2021

64 | www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com STACY BAYNE, LPN II, AND OPERATIONS MANAGER AT KUDZU MEDICAL What led Stacy Bayne to where she is today is a bit serendipitous. When Bayne was in 11th and 12th grades, she was en- couraged by one of her teachers to be the leader for the Health Occupations Students of America. The organization’s mission is to develop compassionate, quality health care professionals by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development. Bayne was the South Carolina state president of the organization her senior year in high school. She also worked as a CNA in long-term care and as a personal care aide to a special needs child. Bayne obtained her LPN at age 21 and worked for a pediatric practice for the next 20 years. “I came to know so many of the kids and their families in the community. It was so rewarding to work in the same community where my husband and I lived and raised our children.” Bayne took a different career path in 2018 when she started her job as operations manager for Kudzu Medical. Like her role in high school with Health Occupations Students of America, Bayne has come back to what she loves, and now she helps candidates find careers in the medical field, as well as helping clients find the best possible employees to work in their facilities and practices. “There are so many different opportunities in the nursing field and so many ways to use your nursing career to help people.” KERRY RANKIN, BSN, RN Kerry Rankin developed her passion for nursing at a young age when her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer: “I was in elementary school, but I remember being overjoyed to help her in any way I could. Anything that made her feel better or helped her in some way, was a great feeling for me.” Rankin graduated from Greenville Technical College in 1996 with an ADN in nursing. She recently received her BSN from Western Governors University. She worked in the hospital setting for many years in the cardiac telemetry unit. “I have always enjoyed learning about the heart and taking care of patients with cardiac issues. Helping patients better understand cardiac procedures and how to properly recover from them was always rewarding,” she reflected. Rankin currently teaches health science at Anderson Institute of Technology. “I have taught health science for 12 years, and I love watching students grow in knowledge. I like to think in some small way I help them find their passion,” she said. T H E P U L S E O N UPSTATE NURSES LAURA MCCLAIN, RN, ASN, CMA (AAMA), AAS Laura McClain said she is blessed to be trained in both medical assisting and nursing. She has an associate degree in both nursing and medical assistant technology. Now she works for Tri-County Technical College as the medical assisting program director/practicum coordinator. Her background in nursing was with an OB-GYN and on the labor and delivery unit. Later she worked in hospice as a nurse. “Labor and delivery will always be close to my heart, but I also enjoyed hospice care because I was able to use my skills and knowledge as a ministry to educate families during my patients’ time of transition and give them comfort in under- standing the processes that takes place with their loved ones as they are ending their time on Earth,” she explained. McClain’s advice to new nurses: “Respect those who work with you – CNAs, housekeeping, dietary staff. They are all a crucial part of your patient’s care. Don’t forget the simple tasks that you were trained to do.” She added that in order to succeed in the medical field “you have to have a heart for service.” She said she always looks at her patients holis - tically and determines the best ways to help them. “I have been given the phenomenal opportunity to teach others about medical assisting and prepare them for a wonderful career while still able to share some nursing knowledge, since it is a great field to transition into from medical assisting,” she concluded. HealthLinks Upstate has partnered with KUDZU MEDICAL STAFFING to highlight some of the Upstate’s top nurses.