Career Overview
Education and Involvement
Jeanine Niemoller, a 1981 graduate from UW Nursing's BSN Program, found herself working as a Public Health Care Specialist after graduation, and shortly thereafter stepped into the Director of Nursing position for a Laramie based nursing home, even though she wrote in her nursing school journal only five years before that she would never work in a nursing home! In 1996, Niemoller returned to the university and obtained her Master of Science degree, choosing nursing administration as her focus.
Niemoller is proud to say that she joined the UW Alumni Association soon after she graduated with her BSN in 1981 and has remained a member since that time. "I was delighted when the Nursing Alumni Association Chapter was formed in 2014, and now feel honored to be asked to provide this highlight for the alumni group news," says Niemoller.
Retirement from fulfilling work with the elderly
Jeanine (or Jeanie, as she is better known), recently retired from her position as Administrator of the Extended Care Facility at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. She worked at Ivinson from 1989 through June of 2015. During her time at Ivinson she worked as a staff nurse, as Assistant Director of Nursing for the Extended Care Facility, and also as the Administrator of Extended Care. "Extended Care," says Niemoller, "is a facility that provides post hospital rehabilitation to patients who are discharged from the hospital and other hospitals in the region, and who are in need of longer stays with skilled nursing and rehabilitation needs after a hospital stay."
Niemoller was certified as a Gerontological Nurse in 1988, since she "loves to care for and assist mature patients and their families with the additional issues that arise as they age," says Niemoller. "Geriatric case management was an important part of my practice. I loved helping to make a difference for patients as they returned to their homes after an illness."
End of Life Care, Palliative Care and Hospice are also areas that interested and occupied her career. "Teaching and support of families remains very close to my heart," Niemoller adds. Toward the end of her career Jeanie also served as a hospital supervisor, and served as a clinical instructor of nursing students for Laramie County Community College and the Fay Whitney School of Nursing at the University of Wyoming.
Active after retirement
The Wyoming Center for Nursing (an advocate for nurses and nursing issues in Wyoming) and Friends of the Fay Whitney School of Nursing (development board) remain as recipients of Niemoller's post-retirement energy. "I also feel very strongly about membership in professional nursing organizations," adds Niemoller. "I continue to work with Wyoming Nurses Association (WNA) and serve as the Awards Chairperson." Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Pi Chapter is another organization Niemoller believes in supporting, explaining that "the networking and friendships I have formed are strong and fulfilling in my retirement."
Niemoller is not sure what her nursing future will be, but is sure that nursing will be a large part of her future. She lives in Laramie with her husband Bob, and is close to her daughters and grandchildren. Travel is an important hobby, she says, and looks forward to a trip to Germany as part of that near future.
Video Interview
Niemoller participated in a video session last year in which she talked about her nursing career. We encourage you to watch the short video at https://www.uwyo.edu/nursing/alumni/verbal-history.html (scroll down the page to the fourth video -- or watch all of the videos!).
Addendum to Niemoller's article
In addition to Niemoller's submitted information above, we would like to draw attention to honors she received:
Not only is she involved with the Wyoming Center for Nursing, she has been Vice-Chair. The center was created by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Partners in Nursing grant. Niemoller, as part of the WCN advisory board, "formed relationships with a range of constituents that have come together to improve nursing retention and recruitment, educational capacity, and to build consensus on nursing issues in the State of Wyoming," states The Wyoming Center for Nursing website.
Niemoller is recipient of awards from the Wyoming Nurses Association as District 12 Nurse of the Year (2013) and Outstanding Service to WNA (2011)
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Story posted 4/17/2017