Nurse, PES
Heidi Wesely, BSN, is originally from the Gretna/Elkhorn area. She grew up on an acreage near the Elkhorn River. After graduating from Gretna High School, she attended to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to study pre-health and nursing. After graduating with her BSN, she worked for Bryan Hospital in Lincoln for two years on the Adult Psychiatric Inpatient unit. Heidi also worked at a medical research facility for four years. After moving to Omaha, she learned about the PES and has been here since February 2021.
Why did you decide to become a nurse?
I actually never changed my major in college and always knew I wanted to be a nurse. I’ve always been a “people person” and was drawn to bedside nursing over other areas in medicine. Working in the PES has been my favorite nursing opportunity, thus far. I find it so humbling that I get to be a part of someone’s time of need, no matter the circumstance.
Why did you decide to work in behavioral health?
From the beginning of my nursing degree, I knew I wanted to work in mental health. In nursing school, it was suggested to start out on a medical unit to better establish your skills after graduation. So, I actually started out on a progressive cardiac unit, and it quickly reinforced that this was not where my passion for nursing was. I found it to be so busy with task after task that I couldn’t simply talk to my patients, some of whom just had extensive cardiac surgeries; it kind of felt unnatural that I had to be more focused on drips and drains and wounds instead of the person beside me. I made the switch to the inpatient psychiatric unit after a short period on the cardiac unit and instantly fell in love with it. I knew these were “my people” and loved being able to meet people where they were at and be a small part of their mental health journey. I think mental health workers are incredibly special, and we all have our personal reasons for doing what we do, whether it be fighting stigma, having experienced mental health struggles, overcoming addiction, or growing up with complicated family dynamics.
How has the PES changed during your time there?
I wasn’t an “OG” PES member but started shortly after it opened in October 2020. I know I’m biased, but I genuinely love the team we have. I’ve never worked somewhere that has such a true appreciation for collaboration between different team members. We are all incredibly different from person to person, but we keep each other balanced and play to our own strengths to navigate sometimes difficult and complex situations with our patients. The problem-solving abilities of our team are inspiring. As to how the PES has grown over the years, it’s no secret that starting a new unit, especially one meeting higher acuity needs, takes some time to work out the kinks. Our passion for what we do allows us to be gritty for the common goal, and from what I’ve seen, every roadblock we encounter is met by navigating policies, changing the environment, and a “keep on keeping on” attitude. I’ve been so proud of the way we can be creative in finding a solution as unprecedented complications arise.
What are some of your future work goals?
As I’ve mentioned, I love mental health and interacting with people in difficult seasons and situations in their lives. So much so that I’m currently in my final year of graduate school at UNMC here in Omaha, pursuing my PMHNP DNP. While I don’t know exactly where I want to be after graduation in May, the experience at NE Med (with PES and Poynter Hall) has helped foster my passion alongside my career development. I’m excited to see where my new career position takes me and to meet the people I’ll encounter!
What are some of your hobbies when you are not at work?
When I’m not at work, studying, working on projects, or in my clinical rotations (lol), I am typically at the barn. I have a horse named Cookie and a mini donkey named Donk. Over the summer months, I show Cookie at local open shows. I’m also in the thick of planning our April wedding with my super amazing fiancé, Blake. I also love spending time with my family; I have three sisters with whom I’m very close, and many adorable nieces and nephews!