Page 136 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2022

presented by South Mississippi Living magazine
JENNIFER RATCLIFFE Chief Nursing Officer
ENCOMPASS HEALTH INPATIENT HOSPITAL
4500 13th St., Ste. 900, Gulfport 228.596.4825 www.encompasshealth.com
Jennifer Ratcliffe with Encompass Health Inpatient Hospital is the chief nursing officer who also holds master’s and doctorate degrees. Seeing her mom as a nurse who served in many capacities and leadership roles throughout her nursing career inspired Ratcliffe to follow in those footsteps.
“Through her experiences, I learned that nursing is a great fit with lots of flexibility for someone who not only wanted to greatly impact the lives in her community but also wanted to be committed to her home and family,” Ratcliffe says. “She exemplified that you could do both roles with excellence and inspired me to do the same.”
Interacting with and mentoring the staff is what she enjoys most about her work. “Our nurses and support staff inspire me every day by being committed caregivers to a vulnerable population,” she said. “Their commitment to each other is unparalleled and exemplifies the definition of teamwork.”
An encounter with a former patient when Ratcliffe was a bridesmaid made a lasting impression. “The lady recalled that I had been her nurse during a very difficult time in her life and that she’d never forgotten my impact on her recovery,” she recalls. “While I didn’t have a specific memory of her or the encounter, I then realized the responsibility we have as nurses in caring for patients at their most vulnerable and what an amazing opportunity we have to help change lives for the better with each interaction.”
Ratcliffe’s husband and three children are the inspiration behind every decision she makes in her career and at home. “I’m also proud of the fact that I survived obtaining my doctorate degree in nursing in an actual classroom setting with a deployed spouse, small children and a full-time job,” she says. “That experience, while challenging, absolutely shaped me into the nurse I am today.”
A seventh generation South Mississippian who came very close to being a music (voice) major in college are some facts most people probably don’t know about Ratcliffe.
136 | September 2022
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