Experience in Healthcare
Marshell Bachelder has been an integral part of Dunes Family Health Care since 2021. Her dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment to providing exceptional leadership have been invaluable to our District. However, recent personal goals have led her to make the decision to transition her role in health care. Marshell was accepted into the nursing program and is currently studying to complete her RN degree. While we are saddened to bid farewell to Marshell in her capacity as a manager, we are also excited for the opportunities that lie ahead of her.
We sat down with Marshell and talked about her previous experiences and specifically how they helped shape her decisions moving forward in the healthcare industry. Marshell began her career in healthcare as a Medical Assistant in 2012. After 4 years working at a larger organization, she became the back-office lead and was ultimately promoted to Supervisor of Clinical Operations for an additional 5 years. In 2021 Marshell joined Dunes Family Health Care where she has enjoyed building relationships with the community of Reedsport as well as her wonderful team in the district. Marshell describes her current role as “rewarding” because of the success in “adapting changes and improvements to processes that ultimately commit to safer and better patient care.” However, she states that transitioning out of her current role means she will miss working with the people she has been fortunate to build relationships with.
Why Nursing?
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Marshell experienced firsthand the devastating effects of the virus, both professionally and personally. The toll it took was compounded by the tragic loss of her beloved mother. These events served as a catalyst for her to reevaluate her career path and pursue her long-standing passion for nursing. “I initially just wanted to broaden my scope of practice, and then in 2021 I lost my mom to Covid-19. I was allowed a medical exemption to go into the hospital she was admitted in to see her for the night. During that visit I saw so many traveling nurses and was really moved by what I believe is the need for more healthcare workers. This experience really impacted me and was the final push I needed to apply for nursing school.”
Recognizing the need for healthcare workers after the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Marshell enrolled in nursing school. Her determination to enhance her skills and knowledge to make a more profound impact on patient care is truly commendable. In 2022 the Lower Umpqua Hospital District awarded Marshell the Art Koning/Louise Mallow Nursing Scholarship in the amount of $2500.00. We wholeheartedly support her decision and are confident that she will excel in this new endeavor. Her transition into nursing will undoubtedly bring a fresh perspective and enhanced expertise to her future patients. Once nursing school is complete Marshell is looking forward to “seeing patients and experiencing care with a direct hands-on approach.”
Change of Leadership
The district is grateful for the time she has spent with us, and her contributions will not be forgotten. Chief Medical Officer Jason Sargent, M.D. says “Marshell has provided much needed leadership and stability during the last 2 years at Dunes Family Health Care. I am grateful for her dedication to the wellbeing of our staff as well as to this community. She leaves us with a firm foundation going forward and I know she will succeed in all her future goals. We wish her all the best.”
As we embark on this new chapter, Dunes Family Health Care is actively seeking a replacement for the managerial position vacated by Marshell. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining high standards of care. Chief Executive Officer John Chivers explains “running a primary care clinic is an extremely challenging job. The manager is always trying to balance the needs (often conflicting) of the patients, the providers and the staff. While the patients always come first, keeping the providers feeling fully supported and the staff well trained and satisfied at the same time is as much art as it is science. Marshell does this extremely well, as well as anyone I’ve ever worked with.” Marshell stresses the importance of finding “the right fit for the district” and will continue to work with DFHC to ensure a thorough transition once the right candidate joins our team.
Please join us in congratulating Marshell on her decision to pursue nursing. We wish her nothing but success and fulfillment in her future endeavors! If you have any questions about the DFHC transition, please do not hesitate to reach out to public_relations@luhonline.com. Thank you for your understanding and support during this period of transition.