How Christine Arnold found purpose and presence in a place she once overlooked
When Christine Arnold began her nurse practitioner (NP) training, long-term care was not where she saw her future.
“Long-term care has a bad rap,” she recalls honestly. “I always thought, ‘No, I would never want to work there.’”
But a six-week placement during her training changed everything.
This was during the height of the pandemic when families were finding new, creative ways to stay connected. She remembers one moment in particular: “They organized a 100th birthday party and the family came by in the back of a pickup truck across the parking lot,” she says. “It was so different from the hospital setting. I just kind of fell in love with it.”
Today, Christine is a full-time NP at The Village of Taunton Mills, working closely with residents, families, physicians, and direct care partners. Her days are rarely predictable, but they are always purposeful.
Unlike hospital or clinic-based medicine, where appointments are short and turnover is constant, Christine’s work at Taunton Mills is rooted in relationships and she works closely with the entire team to care for and support each resident.
“I have the time,” she says. “There are so many things the doctors would do if they could, but they don’t have the time. I can walk the family and the resident through a diagnosis, the options, and what it all means. That’s a huge part of my role.”
She sees residents daily, noticing subtle changes that others might miss, and because she is integrated into Village Life, she’s available when residents or families have questions, long after the doctor has gone.
Christine also plays a central role in palliative and end-of-life care, helping residents and families navigate deeply emotional conversations.
“We know the residents. We know what kind of music they might want, who’s important to them, and what comforts them,” she says. “That kind of personal care is hard to replicate elsewhere.”
She leads the Village’s palliative care committee, ensuring that when the time comes, residents and families experience comfort, dignity, and presence. Their palliative cart includes aromatherapy, refreshments, music, and thoughtful resources for families – small but meaningful gestures that can bring a little light into what can feel like a dark and difficult experience.
And when residents or loved ones are overwhelmed or unsure, Christine is often the one to guide them. “A lot of times, the nurses aren’t comfortable having those conversations, and the doctors don’t have time to sit with the family for half an hour,” she says. “That’s where I come in.”
While her work often involves heavy topics such as chronic illness, aging or grief – Christine emphasizes the joy that comes with truly knowing her residents.
“I love seeing them on their good days,” she says. “Not just when they’re sick. Birthdays, anniversaries, events – I get to be part of that.”
Before landing fully in an LTC setting, Christine once tried labour and delivery, thinking it might be her calling, but she quickly realized what she missed most was her time serving older people. Her advice to young nurses or NPs considering their next steps?
“Figure out what it is that makes you happy about nursing and gear toward that,” she says. “Don’t just go for what’s cool or fast-paced. If you find joy in the interactions, long-term care might be where you belong.”
For Christine, it is the interactions that matter, and she’ll always remember lessons she learned while working alongside a resident and family through some difficult challenges early on in her time at Taunton Mills.
“Thank you doesn’t adequately describe the gratitude that’s in my heart for the care and kindness you showed my mom and I,” wrote the family member after her mother had passed away. “I will always treasure the time I spent with my mom – especially being with her in those last precious moments.”
In a large healthcare system where continuity, compassion, and collaboration can sometimes feel hard to come by, Christine’s presence at Taunton Mills shows just how impactful a Nurse Practitioner can be in long-term care. She’s not simply caring for people or addressing illness – she’s a bridge, a guide, and a steady hand in moments of uncertainty.
And in the quiet everyday aspects of Village Life in long-term care, she proves that this setting, once overlooked, is in fact one of the most meaningful places she could be.
- Previous
- View All News
- Next
