A Day in the Life: Cassandra Binion, LPN, St. Luke's Surrey Place

Ten years ago, Cassandra Binion stepped into St. Luke’s Surrey Place to see if it would be a career fit for her and instantly knew she had found her second home. “What struck me when I interviewed here was the longevity of the employees,” she said. “During the facility tour, I saw how everyone interacted and treated each other like family.” 

St. Luke’s Surrey Place is a skilled nursing facility that offers long-term stays and short-term rehabilitation with on-staff physical, occupational and speech therapists, and it has a secure dementia care unit. 

There’s no such thing as a typical day at Surrey Place for Cassandra. “Currently, I rotate between charge nurse, floor nurse, house supervisor and COVID nurse,” she said. “I’ve done almost every job in the building at least once.” 

As the charge nurse, her day begins around 7 a.m. The first task when she arrives is shift report. She then checks in with her patients during rounds, passes out medication and contacts doctors to talk through any change in patient conditions and lab work.

When the pandemic hit last year, Cassandra was on the frontlines. “I found out how strong I am,” she said. “It was rough, really rough.” She became the designated COVID-19 nurse, responsible for testing all employees and residents. Cassandra dons and doths layers of personal protective equipment (PPE) when she performs a COVID-19 test. 

Growing up, Cassandra never saw herself becoming a nurse, but her family recognized in her all of the nursing qualities. “I’m told I have a kind heart and I’m a helping person,” she laughed. “I did a lot of nursing things before becoming a nurse.” Her caring nature is apparent to anyone who meets her, especially the residents – whose faces light into a smile when she enters the room.

“My favorite part is all of the interactions with the patients,” she said. “I get so much joy out of talking with them and interacting with them. We care, and that’s what makes us stand out.”