Grow With Us: Clara Dewey

We continue our TidalHealth series “Grow With Us” with our June visit with Clara Dewey, our Manager of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at TidalHealth Nanticoke.

Clara’s connection with TidalHealth goes back to 1983, when at age 15 she was a candy striper at the Salisbury hospital. Not sure what that is? Read on, friends!

Monthly, we’ll introduce you to team members, like Clara, who began their career at TidalHealth and advanced in the health system and beyond, and/or who have taken their careers to the next level with significant certifications and achievements.

We’re always looking for people to profile. Send your thoughts and ideas to our Strategic Communications Director at [email protected].

Here’s Clara’s “Grow With Us” story.

Thanks, Clara, for the opportunity to grab a few minutes from your busy schedule and to learn more about your career at TidalHealth. Before we dive into that, introduce yourself to our readers by telling us about where you’re from, where you grew up, what makes you happy in life…the good stuff!

My name is Clara Yvonne Dewey. I am a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant and the Manager of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at TidalHealth Nanticoke. My dad was military, so we moved around a lot. My favorite place we lived was Germany (6 Years). When my dad retired, we moved to Salisbury. After college, I moved to Bridgeville and got married. About 5 years later, we were blessed with a son and then a daughter. Spending time with my family brings me more joy than anything. I also enjoy working on my crafts, watching sunrises/sunsets, and tending to my honeybees. 

I’ve got to know about the “candy striper” gig at age 15. How did that happen?

My mom was working in the emergency department at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional at that time and encouraged me to volunteer as a candy striper. Being a military brat, I was kind of shy and I believe she thought this would help bring me out of my shell.

Did you feel overwhelmed, being shy as you say you were at the time, or were you always the type of kid to take on a challenge?

I initially was overwhelmed because it was something very new to me, but it didn’t take long for me to really enjoy volunteering. I think that is when I really started to realize I liked being challenged.

I’m old enough to remember candy stripers at hospitals, but for the younger generation, explain what you did because it’s one of those hospital roles that you just don’t see anymore.

At the time I was a candy striper, the Junior Board was a place where visitors and staff could go to eat and buy gifts. It was set up like a diner. There were tables and a bar area where you could order food and drinks along with a little store where you could get anything from flowers to hair ties. The candy stripers were basically the waiters/waitresses, and we helped the visitors and staff with whatever they needed.

That’s a really interesting way to get your foot in the door. Did you always want a career in healthcare or did that experience kind of open your eyes?

I wanted to be a therapist for as long as I can remember. Working as a candy striper in the hospital helped me recognize how much I liked helping people in the hospital setting. 

That was your first introduction to what goes on in healthcare, but it certainly wasn’t your last. You graduate high school in the mid-1980s and head off to college. Tell us about that. 

I started my college life with the idea of getting a degree in the field of physical therapy but fell in love with psychology, so I graduated with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology from Wilkes University. I then attended Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) and graduated with a degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant and a degree in health technologies. I also have a degree from Ashworth College in Healthcare Management. I feel that the psychology background definitely helps when working with patients in the hospital.

About 30 years ago, as part of that college experience you had a clinical rotation at TidalHealth Nanticoke, then Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. What was that like? 

The experience was a challenge. At that time, we treated both inpatients and outpatients from the hospital. Physical therapist assistants were not well known at that time so fitting in with all the physical therapists was difficult at times. After a couple of weeks, I felt at home, and we were all working well together

I’m guessing that pretty much cemented your career path? 

Yes. By the end of the 8-week rotation, I was truly in love with working in the acute care setting. I was challenged in some way every day and learned so much from all the staff in our department as well as from staff in other departments of the hospital.

Anyone then who had a huge impact and influence on you?

It is hard to pinpoint just one person. It really was all the staff in our department. They each had their own “lessons” they taught me. All these lessons have made an impact on who I am as a therapist (and leader) today. My husband and family made a big impact by encouraging me to push through the challenging times.

You graduate, degree in hand and you could have gone anywhere, but you chose to come back to the Seaford hospital as a staff therapist. Why here? 

I could see the impact that we were making on our patients and felt like TidalHealth Nanticoke was “home” for me. With it being a small hospital in a small community, we see a lot of patients outside of the hospital and they (or their families) recognize us and the impact we had on their lives. Having the opportunity to see our patients doing well outside of the hospital is very rewarding.

I’m sure yuu’ve seen a number of significant changes and improvements in physical medicine & rehabilitation over your career. Anything really stand out? 

The biggest impact is with insurance companies and how they impact not just physical medicine but healthcare in general. One of the biggest improvements I have seen is the coordination of care of patients both in the acute care and outpatient settings. Working side by side with our ortho team is one great example of this.

What did you love (and still love) about the job? 

I love the “family” atmosphere we have in our department (PT, OT, and SLP). We work well as a team. I love helping patients with their recovery. It is very gratifying to see the patient make improvements.

You work your way up to Manager of the department. When and how did that happen?

About 5 years ago I was given the title of Lead Therapist in the acute care setting. Three-and-a-half years ago, I was asked to be interim manager and with some encouragement from my husband and others, I decided to apply for the position.

I know no day in healthcare is truly typical, but what is a typical day in your world today? 

My day typically starts at the gym at about 4 a.m. I am at work around 5:45. I work on managerial activities like scheduling and payroll, etc. After that, my day varies depending on the need. I could be in staffing acute care or outpatient, working on leadership activities, or attending meetings. One of the things I like about this position is the variety of tasks.

How important is being a mentor to the new therapists coming in as it was to you who was once in their shoes?

It is very important to mentor new therapists. There are a lot of lessons learned by being hands-on in the field; lessons that are touched on in the books and in the classroom but are truly learned under the mentorship of a seasoned therapist.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to any young therapist just starting out? 

Keep an open and flexible mind, work hard, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. No matter where you work, there will be daily challenges that, at times, may seem overwhelming. With good mentors, you will overcome the challenges and be a better therapist because of it.

You also told me something in an email exchange that I think is pretty cool. You said, “I plan on being here until I retire.” I love and respect that dedication and devotion. What makes it so enjoyable? 

Working with staff throughout the Seaford hospital and the health system. The “home” like atmosphere and TidalHealth’s dedication to the community, which includes many of my family and friends, is equally gratifying. Seeing patients who have recovered from devastating injuries and illnesses functioning well in our community is very rewarding.