Employee Spotlight 17 March 2020
Carree Weitzel, House Supervisor
Carree is the nightshift House Supervisor and an Ivinson Ambassador.
At six years old, Carree Weitzel knew she wanted to be a nurse. At a very young age she admired her great aunt, an ER/ICU nurse and Carree knew she was destined for a similar path. After 39 years in the nursing profession, Carree will tell you it’s a perfect match.
“I really love my job, and this hospital,” Carree said. “I’ve done a lot of areas of nursing. I’ve done basically all areas in a hospital setting but I really enjoy being house supervisor. I just love my job. It’s just enough as far as doing management stuff sitting at a desk, but you’re still able to get out there with the staff and be there for the patients and the family members. I love it, it’s the perfect job.”
Carree came to Ivinson in 1990 as a team member on Crossroads, what we now call Behavioral Health. In 1994, she moved into a house supervisor position, which she has been doing for the last 26 years. For 25 of those years she has worked nightshift and she will tell you, it’s her favorite.
“I love the nightshift I always have. I really like the comradery and people are very close, all departments are. I think we work really well as a team. It’s kind of like a skeleton crew so you really depend on other team members and not just within your unit. You kind of depend on all units.”
Starting her work day at 7 PM, Carree oversees the well-oiled machine of around 25 people that keep the hospital running at night.
“Before I came here, I was working in a small hospital. Working in a small hospital, you kind of did everything. I’ve done a lot of areas of nursing but I’d have to say that being house sup is my favorite. It’s just a little bit of management stuff but you still have your hands in with the patients, with family members. It’s just the perfect mixture.”
Carree also serves as an Ivinson Ambassador and plays a vital part in coordinating treats and involvement of nightshift. If you ask her, Carree will tell you that her night shift family is one of her favorite parts of the job.
“I really enjoy talking with families, especially when families are having a difficult time. That’s where I feel, or at least I’m hoping, that I’m giving them the comfort that they are needing and that, to me, is a big thing. Besides the patients, the families are my favorite part, just trying to make a difference for them when they come to Ivinson.”
When she is not at Ivinson, Carree lives dayshift hours to spend time with her husband and five grandkids that she adores. She enjoys college athletics and does not shy away from wearing her Cornhusker red in the middle of the student section during football season. If she isn’t home unwinding at her piano, Carree enjoys hiking and biking with her husband in their favorite place, Estes Park, Colorado.