Maple Pointe program director is named Nurse of the Year

Kara Constantine has been caring for residents at Maple Pointe Assisted Living in Rockville Centre for the past two years, but her job became distinctly more challenging this spring. Despite the physical and mental exhaustion of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, Constantine, a registered nurse and the center’s program director, has continued to do her job as she always has, and her efforts have not gone unnoticed: She was named Nurse of the Year by the New York State Center for Assisted Living, an industry group supporting long-term-care and assisted-living facilities across the state.

“She has been a hands-on champion during this pandemic, working extra hours while displaying endless energy and kindness,” Tammy Marshall, Maple Pointe’s executive director, said. “But even before the coronavirus struck, Kara’s enthusiasm was like a tangible force.”

Marshall described Constantine as a “tireless advocate” for residents, especially when they are ill or hospitalized. She gives her cellphone number to all care providers and doctors, and texts or calls them “at all hours,” Marshall said, “for anything from a prescription refill to a medical emergency.”

“Our providers all know her by name,” Marshall added, “and can count on her for useful information for a resident in need of services.”

The NYSCAL Nurse of the Year Award recognizes an adult-care or assisted-living nurse who demonstrates outstanding compassion, supervisory success, innovation and expertise. “I feel honored to receive this award,” Constantine said. “However, I think that all health care workers should be recognized during this time for their commitment, dedication and hard work. I share this award with all of them.”

Amy Kennedy, NYSCAL’s executive director, said nurses are nominated for the award and the recipient is chosen by a committee that reviews nominees’ applications and nomination letters. At its annual conference, the center also recognizes an administrator of the year and a noble caregiver in assisted living. The conference includes a dinner and award ceremony that was originally scheduled for May 18-21 in upstate Verona and has been rescheduled for August.

Of the 15 or so applicants this year, Constantine was the one the committee felt was most deserving, Kennedy said, noting that the nomination letter for her from Maple Pointe “really stood out.” It highlighted her abilities as a leader and a mentor to other staff members who helps them become better caregivers, as well as her tendency to stay in touch with discharged residents, particularly those who do not have family nearby.

After a particularly difficult day earlier this year, Marshall recalled, Constantine gave up her own evening plans in favor of taking staff members out for dinner. “This selfless display of loyalty and support is typical,” Marshall said. “She is a true team player who helps with fundraising and marketing and takes a stake in overall improvements in our community. Her sincerity is evident in the relationships she has built in the two years she’s been with us.”

Constantine, 50, who lives in Bayport, said that nursing is her second career, but her “first passion.” She was a pre-med student at New York University when she fell in love and switched career tracks. She transferred to Hofstra University, where she earned a degree in business administration, got married and had two children. Then, as her daughters, now 23 and 20, grew older, she decided to go back to school and follow her original path.

“I always wanted a career in medicine,” Constantine said. “It was really my path from the beginning, it was just deterred for a little bit.”

She earned an associate’s degree in nursing at Suffolk Community College in 2013, and then worked for five years as an RN at an adult day-care facility before coming to Maple Pointe. Her oldest daughter is also a nurse, and according to Constantine, her daughter said she was inspired to choose that path because of her mother.

“She saw how much I love it,” she said.

Constantine said she enjoys working with the elderly population and helping them overcome ailments. “When a sick resident makes a full recovery, there is no better feeling in the world knowing that I was part of that process,” she said. “I also like spending quality time with a resident, listening to them speak about their life, whether it be about their past job, their children or grandchildren, just to watch them light up with happiness.”

The pandemic, she said, has made her job more challenging, both physically and mentally. “I’m working more hours, and the needs of the residents have increased,” she said. “Mentally it has changed, because I’ve seen the most death in the shortest amount of time since I entered this field. This has caused some frustration, because I question if there was something different that could have been done. That has been the hardest thing for me to accept.

“On a personal level, the pandemic has taught me to appreciate time,” Constantine said. “The time I spend with the people I love is what’s most important to me now. I no longer think, ‘I’ll see her tomorrow or over the weekend.’ Rather, I take every opportunity I have to spend time with my loved ones. I’ve learned to slow down to cherish time.”