Helping patients hear, understand their health important to CCH Legend

Campbell County Health is proud to announce Jody Nestor as a Legend.

For those who don't know, CCH defined a Legend as, “those people who have left a permanent impression on our minds because of their deeds and actions. Ongoing demonstration of hard work, compassion, and a reputation for greatness make someone a legend.”

Originally from Gillette, Wyoming, Jody, who always loved sports and physical education in school, did some job shadowing with a physical therapist in high school to see if she’d be interested in pursuing a career in health care.

“The body just fascinates me, and I found the science behind how the body works quite interesting. So, after a lot of research, I decided that I’d go into exercise physiology,” she said.

Jody earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colo. After she graduated, she returned to Gillette when her husband, Corey, took a job as a surveyor in 2004. She joined the team at CCH Wellness 11 years ago and now works primarily helping with Audiogram Testing—she is a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (COHC)—but often steps in when needed to help with biometric screenings, phone consults, and more.

Jody is well-known in our community because of the hearing work she does for many of the Wellness department’s corporate clients in the mining industry, and her colleagues would say she is a great team player who is always looking out for her fellow co-workers.

In Jody’s Legend Nomination Form, Wellness colleagues Jessica Arland and Jessica Niziolek said, “At some point or another, Jody has held nearly every position available within the department. On a daily basis, the wellness department can see upwards of 80 (or more) patients within a few hours. Jody is always quick to step in and lend a helping hand. It would be safe to say that most employees within the department would classify her as a leader of the wellness team.”

For those who don’t know, CCH’s Wellness Department works to reduce health risks and promote overall wellness among employee groups and individuals across the northeastern Wyoming region. More than 20 organizations use Wellness for their Corporate Wellness Program, which helped companies and their employees prevent illness, decrease medical dollars spent, as well as increase employee morale and productivity. The department also offers a screening program that is targeted at individuals, and makes it easy and affordable for all residents to have their blood checked, or get other health screenings, on a regular basis.

Jody calls the services Wellness offers unique and is grateful that CCH offers this in Campbell County, Wyoming.

“There are not many health care organizations that have a department dedicated to wellness. I feel that I am very fortunate to work for an organization that cares about preventative care and helping the public with their overall health,” she says.

Jody says she believes that Wellness is an essential service for the public because people can’t just see inside their body to see what’s really going on. But screenings can help that happen, and help patients see what is really going on, and potentially prevent a health care issue down the road.

“Some people don’t know how high their blood pressure is, or what can happen if it is too high. They may not feel like they are at a high risk for diabetes or heart disease, but when they have their blood drawn and analyzed, they can then see how healthy—or unhealthy—they really are. The numbers don’t lie,” she says.

One aspect of her job that Jody enjoys the most is working with different clients. “I see a lot of the same people year after year. I enjoy knowing that I’m making a difference in their lives—that I’m helping them make their quality of life better,” she says.

When Jody talks of her job in Wellness, you can tell she loves her job. Her colleagues will also tell you that.

“Jody is always so kind to our clients. Not all of our clients are excited to have their screenings done bright and early in the morning with an empty stomach, but she always has them laughing,” says Rachel Wilde, a health coach at Wellness. “They are obviously comfortable with her, and she almost always remembers their names! We see thousands of patients each year and she remembers their names—I am always impressed.” Rachel called Jody a Wellness icon because she has touched the lives of thousands of people in the community by providing preventative services.

She’s not only a wonderful health care provider to clients, she’s also been a wonderful mentor to the majority of her colleagues. “All of our staff has gone to Jody on numerous occasions if they have questions, concerns, or just simply need help,” says colleague Theresa Kautz. “Anytime someone is struggling with their job, she will step in and help guide them. It is crucial that staff know how to do things correctly when working with patients. Her ability to share her knowledge and expertise has helped shaped younger staff to become excellent health care providers.”

When asked what the Legend award means to her, Jody says it’s an honor to be recognized. “It makes me feel amazing that my colleagues felt like I deserved it. I don’t do my job to be recognized, and I, nor the Wellness Department, would be where we are today without all of the people I work with. It makes it easy to go to work and do the best you can when you work with an amazing team.”

Jody and her husband, Corey, have two children—Garrett, 5 years old, who loves to run and Addison, 8 years old, who is really into art. Jody stays active in her children’s activities in school. For fun, the family has some land in the Big Horn Mountains that they play on nearly every weekend—camping in the summer and snowmobiling and sledding in the winter.

Jody, your dedication and commitment to CCH and excellence every day has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for being a mentor and a role model to so many of your colleagues. Congratulations.