The Westview News

Press Release
Employee of the Month
Date
September 15, 2022

      Nakãsha Frias was honored with the July Employee of the Month award at Westview Health Care Center. Fulfilling her duties as a Licensed Practical Nurse at Westview, Nakãsha is responsible for a continuum of patient care needs. In both planning the care that she and her nursing team provides and ensuring that it is carried out, Nakãsha exhibits dedication to her patients at every turn. Being a part of Westview Health Care Center feels to Nakãsha like having a “second family.” Furthermore, she also believes that the patients and residents at Westview connect to the staff with a familial bond. Nakãsha and her patients always look forward to seeing each other at the Dayville skilled nursing facility; building and maintaining that social relationship is a key element for the way she provides care. Cherishing these human connections offers her the ability to help her patients find pathways to better health and bigger smiles.

      Nakãsha first joined Westview in 2007 as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Her husband is in the United States Marine Corps, and in 2008 she and her family moved to Japan for his service post. Living there for 3 years, the Frias family returned stateside to North Carolina. Ultimately, they made their way back to Connecticut after her husband served his time in the Marines, and Nakãsha knew that she wanted to gain further development in her nursing career as soon as possible. She enrolled at Lincoln Technical Institute in Lincoln, RI and achieved degrees in Practical Nursing and Medical Administration. This allowed Nakãsha to continue a lifelong desire that she pursues still: to always help people, to make others smile frequently, and to give her patients the confidence to approach every day with a positive outlook. Nakãsha’s mother was also a nurse, and she has long been a source of inspiration for her as a benevolent caregiver.

      Outside of work, Nakãsha likes to find herself outside exploring nature. Hiking and traveling are two of her favorite activities; often selecting naturally beautiful locations with her family for their trip destinations. The bonds between Nakãsha and her children are among her most treasured blessings. She loves her connection with her daughter Savannah; encouraging her daughter’s basketball talent and passion for fine arts like drawing and painting. Nakãsha’s son Frankie has an adventurous spirit and she loves watching him channel all of his fun energy into his interests like the sport of boxing and video gaming. During these ages and stages of her son and daughter, Nakãsha states that one of her most dedicated pursuits is making family memories that her children will remember forever.

      Just as she feels a close connection with her patients, Nakãsha feels like her colleagues at Westview are a second family. She appreciates the cohesion of their tightly-knit group, and how easy it is to exercise teamwork during patient treatments. In the especially challenging recent years, Nakãsha contributes to and benefits from the trust that Westview staff have in each other. With firsthand knowledge she knows the importance of picking up extra responsibilities and doing whatever it takes to have successful nursing shifts. Adamant in her appreciation for the Certified Nursing Assistants that she works with, she knows what it takes to be a CNA and how they are essential in accomplishing any nursing department’s goals. In Nakãsha’s words: “They are the backbone of our team.”

      In receiving this Employee of the Month designation, Nakãsha made sure to thank her colleagues at Westview in return for their vocal support. “Thank you for this recognition and the kind words about my work ethic.” She went on to remark how a distinction like this not only serves as a career achievement, but that it also holds additional weight as a reminder to continue achieving: “To know my efforts are being appreciated makes me strive to raise the bar even higher. This kind of award is as humbling as it is gratifying!”

      Administrator of Westview Health Care Center, David T. Pantelakos, commented on his appreciation for Nakãsha’s leadership and her innate understanding of the regimented protocols in nursing care. “Nakãsha brings strong leadership skills with her on every shift, and her nursing care is exemplary. We truly value her contributions, and we celebrate her earning this Employee of the Month award. Congratulations to Nakãsha for her well-deserved reignition!”

Westview Health Care Center is a 103-bed inpatient skilled nursing facility, which includes a distinct and self-contained 28-bed sub-acute short term rehabilitation unit and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapies including: Sports Medicine, Adolescent/Pediatric, Adult, and Aquatic Outpatient Centers, all dedicated to providing outstanding quality health care services. The Dayville, Connecticut facility is consistently ranked among the top nursing facilities in the nation, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as well as U.S. News and World Report, consecutively for the past 14 years.