Nurse Spotlight: Elizabeth Kisthart Says Infusion Nursing Is Very Personal

Elizabeth “Betsy” Kisthart, RN, BSN, CRNI, didn’t know what she wanted to study in college. So she put her freshman year on temporary hold to work as a medical secretary while she figured it out.

“My first job was at a hospital,” she remembers. “One of the first things I did was make copies of charts and I found them so fascinating. There was a patient I will never forget. He was a young man who had been in a terrible accident. I knew he had a long road ahead, both physically and mentally, and I realized I wanted to help people who were in need like that.”

Finding Her Life Purpose

Kisthart went on to earn a nursing degree and spent 10 years as a registered nurse caring for hospital patients in medical, surgical and ICU departments. After a decade of clinical nursing she decided to make a change. “When my children were young I switched to private home care nursing. One of my home patients received infusion therapy, so I got to know the infusion nurse. She happened to be pregnant and leaving, so she suggested I apply for her job. I thought what she did was fascinating, so I did and got the job.”

Since then, Kisthart has spent 34 years as either an infusion nurse, infusion clinical care manager or infusion field nurse manager. More than 10 of those years have been with AOM Infusion. She briefly flirted with retirement, resigning from her full-time AOM post two years ago, only to decide she wasn’t ready to completely say goodbye to caring for others. Now, she serves as a per-diem field nurse for the company.

“As a per-diem nurse, the AOM office calls me when they have a home infusion patient within a 45-minute radius of where I live. If the patient needs to be seen weekly, every two weeks or once a month, I’m the one who schedules and administers treatment during follow-up visits.”

Making a Real Difference

While her flexible schedule is a big draw, what Kisthart really loves is the chance to still help individuals coping with serious health issues enjoy a better quality of life.

 “Making a positive difference in someone’s life is such an incredible feeling,” she admits. “Just last week, one of my IVIG patients said that getting this treatment was life-changing for him. He has encephalopathy, an autoimmune disease that causes seizures. Since he’s been getting this treatment, his seizures have subsided – which has been life-changing for him.”

To Kisthart, infusion nursing offers the best of both worlds. “You acquire hi-tech skills, but infusion nursing allows a more personal touch because you’re in someone’s home. You get to know them, their families, their pets. It’s very personal.”

“IVIG patients are long-term patients,” she explains. “These patients have usually been on infusion drugs for many years, so they really do bond with their nurse.” 

Putting Patients First — Always

Those deep bonds are forged from compassion, understanding and not surprisingly, one simple act.

“If you talk with anyone who’s dissatisfied with the medical system, the thing they’re most dissatisfied with is that they’re not listened to,” Kisthart offers. “I try to actively listen to my patients so I hear exactly what they’ve been through — the hardships they’ve endured. By the time they get to home infusion, they’ve usually been through quite a bit. Listening builds trust — along with being skilled and reliable with their care.”

That patient-first focus was one of the things that drew Kisthart to AOM.

“When I was hired, AOM was owned by a physician and a nurse, and their focus was on clinical excellence.  Our leadership has changed, but they haven’t veered from that philosophy. They hire as many nurses as we need. They’ve always bumped up the staff to meet growing needs. They support us getting our CRNI credential (certified registered nurse infusion) and send us to conferences so we can learn from our peers how things are done at other places. We support and help one another.”

Over the past decade, Kisthart has played an integral role in helping new nurses acclimate to AOM.

“One of my favorite roles at AOM has been mentoring new nurses,” she notes. “I was the field nurse manager for eight years doing orientations and field visits with new nurses. I’ve always been mindful that  one day, one of those nurses may be taking care of me.”

Ready to infuse your nursing career with more passion, purpose and opportunities?

AOM Infusion is growing and looking for compassionate, talented nurses to join our team. We have rewarding positions open across the U.S, learn more.

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