NOT E S FRO M TH E FIE L D
FOUNDATION OF FAITH Written by: ROSA WALSTON LATIMER
Jodi Baumgard, ATP, CRTS®, at Reliable Medical Supply in Minnesota, became a NRRTS Registrant in 2006, early in an enduring career that has proven to be personally fulfilling. “There was no single event that set me on this career path. From an early age I wanted to help improve people’s lives and, because of that strong nature of my personality, I was encouraged to pursue a nursing career,” Baumgard said. “While I was in high school, I began working at a local nursing home caring for elderly residents. I very much enjoyed working with them and experiencing their wisdom, humor and quirks. From the residents I learned more about myself and my capabilities because, for the most part, they were free with their praise and their criticism.” Baumgard recalls in that setting she learned she could show compassion even during very stressful situations, a lesson still relevant in her work. “I also learned the importance of a supportive family and friends and how they can have a profound, positive affect on an individual’s mental capabilities and physical abilities.” Early in her work experience, Baumgard realized she couldn’t make the commitment to a career in nursing that would likely mean an irregular work schedule. “I knew I would want to spend weekends with my family and friends, so I began looking for other positions. I wanted to continue to help improve the lives of others but with a more regular schedule,” Baumgard said. She worked for a couple of years as a nursing assistant with an on-call agency working in a variety of settings and then moved to a transitional care facility for individuals with spinal cord injuries, congenital disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. Baumgard’s responsibilities were to reinforce the strategies the patients had learned from their therapists, such as independent transfers and dressing. “This setting made a big impression on me because the patients were mostly in their early 20s, near my age,” Baumgard said. “I grew up in a small town where the only people I had seen in a wheelchair were elderly. It was an education for me to see young people in
I ALSO LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE OF A SUPPORTIVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND HOW THEY CAN HAVE A PROFOUND, POSITIVE AFFECT ON AN INDIVIDUAL’S MENTAL CAPABILITIES AND PHYSICAL ABILITIES. 18
DIRECTIONS 2021.1
Jodi Baumgard, ATP, CRTS
wheelchairs relearning how to complete their activities of daily living.” After a time, Baumgard moved into a position as a physical therapy aide at the facility. “This was my first exposure to more complex rehab and working more with equipment than people, and I very much enjoyed assisting the therapists,” Baumgard said. “During this time, I began to realize the importance of the equipment in allowing those patients to improve their function and gain independence. I made the clear connection between a patient having the best possible equipment and having the opportunity to function at their best.” Baumgard and her husband moved to a different city and her longer commute prompted a job change. “I needed to work closer to our home and accepted a position as a paraprofessional with middle school
