By Sandy Keefe, MSN, RN

Jaclyn Kirchhoff, MSN, RN, clinical support specialist with Bayada Nurses, Moorestown, NJ, deeply appreciates her employer's family-friendly policies that allow her to juggle a very full life.

"I have two little girls at home, and the reason I can care for them and still have a rewarding career in my profession is the flexibility Bayada offers me," she said. "They truly allow me to balance my work and family responsibilities."

Week by Week

Kirchhoff's schedule changes on a weekly basis, depending on what's going on with her husband, babysitter and work responsibilities.

"I can work from home part of the time, with access through our company intranet to all of our policies, procedures, schedules and e-mail," she said. "In my support role, I take calls from more than 140 offices, help them get ready for accreditation, develop policies and procedures, and prepare educational offerings. My colleagues and I have the flexibility to start early or stay late to accommodate offices in different time zones.

"In today's world, it's hard to balance everything at times - even with all this flexibility," Kirchhoff acknowledged. "Bayada is family friendly from the top down, and we are very supportive of each other. We are like one big family who is helping other families. We also provide our employees with stress management and wellness advice and resources in our newsletter to help them achieve that work/life balance."

Special Needs

Kathleen Remse, BSN, RN, diabetes case manager for Fallon Community Health Plan, Worcester, MA, was working part-time with another employer when she realized she needed more hours to support her family.

"But I also identified a need for flexibility to meet the needs of my family," she remarked. "My husband is a gas engineer and often gets called out, so it was crucial for me to find a job in my profession that didn't require nights and weekends. My [current] position provides me with the opportunity to work full-time, as well as the flexibility of not having to work evenings and weekends so I can be there for my family."

Remse has chosen to work four 10-hour days, which gives her an extra day to deal with issues for a son with chronic health needs. "And if I need to stretch out a lunch hour for one of his appointments, I can do that with the flex-time option," she said. "That gives me a peace of mind that's priceless!"

A Pioneer

Remse's job is challenging and engaging, and she takes pleasure in making a difference in the lives of members.

"After I had proved I could do the job well, I was given the chance to work 2 out of my 4 days from home doing telephonic case management, and that's worked out well," she noted. "If my son needs me at school, it's comforting knowing I'm just a phone call away."

Remse is pleased to be a pioneer in work/life balance.

"My daughter is going to college next year, and I can be a positive role model for her in terms of blending home and work life," she said. "And I share my perspective with new nursing students, letting them know there are options within our profession."

Sandy Keefe is a frequent contributor to ADVANCE.