Ridge Crest’s Director of Nursing Reflects on Her Dynamic Career
A mom, a paralegal, a veteran and a nurse all walk into Meadow Ridge. They’re all Annefeia.
Annefeia Rosario has spent nearly a decade working at Ridge Crest, the sub-acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing neighborhood at Meadow Ridge, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), in Redding, Connecticut. Her journey to becoming the community’s Director of Nursing is one of determination, as she quickly moved up the ranks from a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to the head of her department.
She Was Drawn to Helping Others
Annefeia wasn’t sure what she wanted to do when she went to college, except that she was drawn to helping others. She took a break from school and enlisted in the Army National Guard, where she worked as a paralegal and thought about becoming a lawyer. “I went to my advanced training class where I learned to be a paralegal and I ended up being the top graduate of my AIT class. The military taught me that anything I put my mind to I can do,” she said. Annefeia returned to school for just one semester before deploying to the Middle East. “We got to Kuwait in July of 2009 and I was in Iraq from the end of July of 2009 to 2010,” said Annefeia. “It made me a better person. It made me independent and able to deal with stressful situations and not really show it, which I think is helpful as a Director of Nursing.”
From Political Science to LPN to RN
When she was finally back home, Annefeia pursued a degree in political science, but as a mom of young twins, she decided to switch to nursing school because of the job security health care offers. The fastest route into the field was to become an LPN. “I called them, I took the test and I think I was enrolled within the next month.” A friend in LPN school referred Annefeia to Meadow Ridge, where she found an LPN position at Ridge Crest. She hasn’t looked back. While taking on more responsibility at work, she’s also continued her education, becoming a registered nurse (RN).
As the Director of Nursing, Annefeia oversees and manages her team much like she would in the military—shoulder-to-shoulder, doing the job that needs to be done, whether it’s answering a call bell or assisting with a transfer. “I will never expect someone to do something I wouldn’t do,” she says, adding it’s important for her team to “see me on the unit and I’m doing what they’re doing.”
She also supports them in the same way she’s been supported in her time at Ridge Crest. “I talk to all my nurses and all my CNAs with respect. You don’t have to talk down to people in order to achieve a goal and I think they like me because of that.” Annefeia added, “We are at the same level. At the end of the day, I need them to do their job so I can do my job.”
“I’m blessed and I’m thankful.”
And, sometimes, doing a job takes a village, like the one she’s found at Ridge Crest and Meadow Ridge. Annefeia recalls one day when she couldn’t get childcare for her two kids. “They weren’t expecting me to come in but that’s my job and I’m going to support my team.” So, she brought her kids with her that day and everyone in this family-like community kept an eye on them. “I’m so happy that I’m here because how many people would have that opportunity? I’m blessed and I’m thankful.”
Ridge Crest at Meadow Ridge is where you’ll find a state-of-the-art therapeutic center with services tailored to resident’s needs. Whether rehabilitating, recuperating or receiving long-term care, residents can rest assured that they will get the highest quality care available.