The Westview News

Press Release
Employee of the Month
Date
December 5, 2022

      Kimberly Byrne, RN was honored with Westview Health Care Center’s October 2022 Employee of the Month distinction. Kim has worked as a Registered Nurse at the Dayville skilled nursing facility since July 2021; having started her career at Westview as a Certified Nursing Assistant in October 2004. She expresses gratitude for the facility’s support of her educational path, as she obtained her CNA certification through Westview’s “Earn While You Learn” initiative. This program trains new CNAs in the clinical setting of Westview and provides them with employment throughout the process. Kim’s additional academic accolades include the Associates Degree in Science that she earned from Quinebaug Valley Community College and the Associates Degree in Nursing that she earned from Three Rivers Community College. Prior to working at Westview, Kim worked as a dietary aide in another skilled nursing facility, and she cites that she has always had a passion for taking care of seniors. She hopes to further advance her career to become a nurse educator and pass along her knowledge and expertise to future generations of nurses.

      Kim greatly values her experiences in different levels of nursing—initially as a CNA team member and now as a Registered Nurse who leads care teams. She states that her first-hand knowledge from those two stages of her nursing career have given her strong insights about how the whole team at Westview can work together to provide optimal care. Despite the immense challenges in skilled nursing homes over the last few years, Kim is inspired by the determination exhibited among her team at Westview, stating: “If we can persevere through the previous couple of years, we can get through anything!” She went on to express her gratitude towards Westview and her colleagues. “I’m honored to be selected as Employee of the Month! After 18 years, Westview Health Care Center has become my second home and family. I take pride in working with such amazing people and working at such a wonderful facility. Westview has enabled me to advance my career—encouraging me throughout the process—and I am especially grateful for that.”

      Kim, her boyfriend Jason, and their sons Jayden and Kai live in Brooklyn, CT with their cats Ruby and Pearl. Myriad interests are enjoyed by Kim to nurture her creative side. She enjoys painting—whether it is refinishing furniture or craft painting projects—and finds that it has a therapeutic impact on her. Soap-making is another hobby of Kim’s; creating and selling hand-made soaps for family, friends, and other patrons. Tarot card reading is more than a pastime for her, as she appreciates living her whole life with what she calls a “metaphysical mindset.” Kim also loves to dive into good pieces of literature when she has quiet moments. She is captivated by a wide range of book genres in both fiction and non-fiction. Some of her favorite narratives are suspense thrillers and historical novels, and she proudly describes how she is fascinated by reading science and medical journals; proving that her passion for health care is thorough.

      Westview Health Care Center Administrator David T. Panteleakos is happy for Kim’s success and growth in her time at Westview. “I am so impressed by Kim’s devotion and determination throughout her career as a health care provider. It takes a lot of consistently challenging work to advance in the nursing field, and she possesses an inspiring level of perseverance to achieve her goals. I value Kim’s role here at Westview for the compassionate care she provides as well as the leadership qualities she exhibits to all of her colleagues. Congratulations to Kim!”

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 years.