Presbyterian Senior Living | Team Members
Nearly 17 years at Presbyterian Senior Living has given Tonya Evans a comprehensive understanding of senior care and the importance of community at Westminster Village. As a Licensed Nurse Coordinator, Tonya has dedicated her career to ensuring residents receive personalized care while maintaining their highest level of function for as long as possible.
"Knowledge is power with this industry," Tonya shares. "It's constantly changing and adapting. So, you just have to make sure you're kind of at the top of what the knowledge is out there."
A Remarkable Career Progression
Tonya's journey with PSL began as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), a position she held for four to five years. After gaining valuable experience working directly with residents, she advanced to a role in medical records and central supply, where she also assisted the director of nursing with scheduling and payroll.
With encouragement from her leadership team, Tonya decided to further her education. "The company was very supportive with adjusting my schedule, making sure I had the opportunity to advance my knowledge," she explains. "My DON at the time was very persistent, like, 'You need to do this. Come on, you've got to stop waiting.'"
Taking advantage of PSL's tuition reimbursement program, Tonya returned to school to earn her nursing license. After completing her education, she worked on the long-term care unit, short-term rehabilitation, and TCU (Transitional Care Unit) for several years before moving into her current position as Licensed Nurse Coordinator.
In this role, Tonya manages MDS (Minimum Data Set) assessments, handles billing responsibilities, and oversees restorative programs. She also organizes care between patients, staff, residents, and their loved ones, ensuring that care plans are personalized and focused on maintaining residents' independence and functionality.
Making a Difference in Residents' Lives
For Tonya, one of the most rewarding aspects of her work is helping residents and their families during difficult times. She recalls a particularly meaningful experience from just a few months ago: "We had a family member who was here, and her father was sick. She needed to take him home, and she didn't have the necessary equipment at home in order to be able to do so. She also was kind of under cost, so she wasn't able to pay for it out of pocket."
Drawing on her community connections, Tonya reached out to someone she knew who had medical equipment available after her husband had passed away. "I was able to connect the two of them with their consent for her to be able to obtain the equipment to take her dad home. And he was able to return home, where he passed."
This kind of compassionate problem-solving exemplifies Tonya's approach to her work. "He was happy just to be able to spend time with them, one-on-one, and have those last moments in the house together," she reflects.
The Westminster Village Community
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) (also called a Life Plan Community), Westminster Village offers a continuum of care across independent living, assisted living, and its health center. Tonya describes the unique advantage this creates for both residents and staff:
"With having a CCRC, it's almost like having a second family away from your family at home. You get to kind of meet them when they're independent. You watch them kind of go through the system. You're here when they get to the health center, and they're happy and content because they're familiar with you, because you knew them prior to being sick."
This familiarity creates a warm, welcoming environment that benefits everyone. When asked about her favorite spot in the community, Tonya points to the independent living dining room, which features a piece of Westminster Village history.
"When they renovated it, they took part of that stained glass window and framed it, and put it back in the window. So that's still part of the building," she explains. The dining area is also where residents from all three levels of care gather for community events, including the annual Christmas parties that Tonya particularly enjoys.
Mentorship and Continuous Learning
Throughout her career, Tonya has been influenced by what she calls "old school nurses" who emphasized evidence-based practice. "I was able to learn lots and lots of great experiences from the many different, vast varieties of nurses that I was exposed to in my career," she says.
One particular lesson that has stuck with her came from a nursing instructor who insisted on using a black pen for documentation. "The rationale behind it was that black pen photocopies, but not only does it photocopy, you can't necessarily change it. Blue pen can be erased when it's on a paper, and most people don't realize that."
Now, having benefited from mentorship herself, Tonya enjoys guiding others. After completing the tuition reimbursement program, she became a peer mentor for colleagues interested in advancing their education. "I've kind of mentored people getting through it," she says.
More recently, Tonya has been involved in training staff on a new electronic health record system that will integrate medication administration with resident records. "I actually have had the opportunity to work with many great nurses," she notes, helping them adapt to this technological change.
Beyond the Workplace
Outside of work, Tonya enjoys crafting, scrapbooking, and DIY home improvements. She's also passionate about supporting the Ronald McDonald House, a cause close to her heart due to personal experience.
"With having my sister who had a son that had spinal muscular atrophy, we were up at AI Dupont quite frequently with all of his ins and outs," she explains. "Since we had a lot of close encounters and had to stay overnight and things like that, it was just an organization that kind of touched my heart."
Now, Tonya participates in fundraising walks and helps raise awareness about the resources available to families in similar situations.
Team Dynamics and Collaborative Care
Tonya views her workplace team as a puzzle, with each person bringing their unique strengths to create a complete picture. "We're vast in different areas, and together we make a complete picture because each of us brings something small to the table, which makes the large picture."
This collaborative approach helps Westminster Village provide comprehensive care to its residents while creating a supportive environment for staff. As Tonya enters her 17th year with PSL this March, her journey exemplifies the organization's commitment to empowering team members to grow professionally while making a meaningful difference in residents' lives.
"With that training and empowerment that the facility has given me," she says, "it's helped me to help the residents, help the staff, help the facility."