In the past month Shen Harrison proved her worth in the radiology department of Vaughan Regional Medical Center by serving in both her regular position as a nurse and as manager of the entire department.

After the previous manager resigned, Harrison suddenly found her hands full, but she has somehow managed the task with an outward calm and coolness.

“In the beginning, I had doubts about whether I could do it,” Harrison said. “But a crash course is sometimes the best way to learn.”

There are six different departments under the title of Radiology at Vaughan Regional, and Harrison helped to oversee each of them.

“I learned I can handle different situations,” Harrison said. “In nursing, the jobs you have are unlimited. People can do shift work to suit their family lifestyle, or they can work all the way up to director of nursing. It’s unlimited what you can set your sights on.”

With 10 years of experience in the nursing field, Harrison knows to expect the unexpected and readies herself for any challenges.

Balancing two jobs meant having very busy days, but she handled the stress by organizing her time and sticking to a schedule.

“I’ve been keeping our new manager up-to-date on what’s going on here,” Harrison said. “I will be glad when he starts work here on Monday.”

Harrison says she enjoys working in radiology and the role the department plays in Selma is starting to evolve.

“There are more doctors in this field here, and they do more than look at X-rays,” Harrison said. “This job is becoming more of a challenge, which is good for us.”

The radiology department at Vaughan has a close-knit atmosphere, Harrison said, and the staff has a good relationship with each other and their patients.

Harrison chose to go into the medical field because she said she cares about other people and believes her personal skills are pretty good.

“I felt nursing was right for me because I can make a difference,” Harrison said. “I believe in treating every patient like a family member. I enjoy talking to patients and playing the role of the comforter.”

Harrison’s work this past month has impressed some of her peers at Vaughan, leading many to believe she will have a bright future at the hospital.