Public Health Nurse Helps Community Stay Healthy – InkFreeNews.com

Laurie Lechlitner
InkFreeNews

DENVER — “I didn’t actually start out as a nurse,” said Denise Ostafin of Denver.

Deniz Ostafin

“I started my career in HR and payroll but was made redundant several times. My father convinced me to become a nurse. Now that I work as a nurse/administrator for the Fulton County Health Department, I have the best of both worlds. I can help people as a nurse. As an administrator, I can take care of payroll and other details in the office world.”

She received her RN license from Ivy Tech. Ostafina received her Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. She is currently working toward a master’s degree in public health at Indiana University Bloomington.

Ostafin began working as a nurse at Dukes Memorial Hospital in Peru. “When I started in April 2019, it was at the beginning of the pandemic. These were difficult times. But I’m happy to say I never contracted COVID while I worked there.”

She joined the Fulton County Health Department in December 2021. “My favorite thing is the fact that every day at work is different. Every second Monday I calculate my salary. Of course, on Wednesdays I vaccinate my children. We also provide TB testing and other services. Every day I check emails and screen phone calls. I have a lot of meetings to attend over the course of several weeks and webinars to tune into.”

Ostafin likes to look at the big picture. “I see a lot of different people and work to make the community healthy. While working in the hospital, I focused on serving a few of my patients. I am no longer responsible for giving medications at certain times or making sure they eat. But I still get the satisfaction of knowing that I’m helping to keep the community as a whole safe and healthy.”

Her administrative responsibilities also extend to the entire community. “I am working on the Health First Indiana budget, identifying areas where we can allocate our resources to better serve people.”

Her biggest challenge is logistics. “We work on the second floor of the annex, opposite the courthouse. My dream is to either have a larger immunization office or use two rooms in the building. Instead of serving 20 people on Wednesday, we could serve 40.”

Ostafina reports four full-time employees and one part-time employee. “We’re more like a family,” she noted. “We all get along very well. And we can share responsibility if someone is absent for any reason.”

When hiring someone to work in the medical field, Ostafina looks for someone who is open to new ideas and willing to learn. “The state trains new people very well. But it’s also important that employees get along with their colleagues.”

She and her husband Steve are parents to two German Drachtaars. “These are AKC hunting dogs. We belong to the Great Lakes Drachtaar Club, where dogs gather in designated areas to demonstrate their hunting prowess by tracking waterfowl and searching for prey in wooded areas. Steve trained them both well.”

Her hobbies include walking her two dogs, Belle and Sarge, reading and watching movies. “I am an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys camping, hiking and kayaking. I have three adult adopted children living in Peru and seven grandchildren.”