Melissa Ann Sockanowich, RPN, a Registered Practical Nurse & Certified Foot Care Nurse with the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton

Get to know Registered Practical Nurse & Certified Foot Care Nurse, Melissa Ann Sockanowich, who serves patients in Ontario, Canada.

Melissa, a registered practical nurse & certified foot care nurse, specializes in behavioral support for dementia patients. She is in practice with the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton in Ontario, Canada.

“People with dementia are at the centre of everything we do. The Alzheimer Society leverages its own and community resources to deliver health promotion, advocacy and support services to people with dementia, those at greatest risk of developing dementia and their care partners” as stated on their website. 

Melissa chose a career in nursing due to her ability to serve as a natural caregiver and her strive to meet the families in their perspective. She graduated with her nursing degree from Mohawk College in 2015.

Motivated at the start of each day by her son, she strives to make a difference in the lives of her patients by taking an unbiased listening ear and being present in active listening. By better understanding their concerns or easing their fears, she hopes that her patients and their families will feel supported but mostly, feel heard.

Having worked in various areas of nursing, her areas of expertise include dementia care, diabetic care, foot care, and palliative care.

A Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) is a healthcare professional who combines nursing skills, knowledge, and judgment to provide nursing care in various sectors of healthcare. The autonomy of the RPN is influenced by the complexity of the client’s condition. RPNs have greater autonomy when caring for a client with less-complex conditions. As client complexity increases, there is a corresponding increase in the need for RPNs to consult with RNs.

Nowadays, Melissa attributes her success to her hard work and dedication, her constant reflection on her goals, as well as her ability to learn from her bad days (understanding what she can change about the outcome or who she can talk to about the emotional and physical exhaustion of nursing). Her research interests include diabetes, a cure for dementia, and cannabis medicine.

On a more personal note, when asked who she would have liked to meet, she answered Elvis.

Learn More About Melissa Ann Sockanowich:

Through her online profile, https://todaysnurse.org/network/index.php?do=/4147101/info/ 

Karen Johnson

Karen Johnson is an Associate Content manager for FindaTopDoc and responsible for working with distinguished physicians in documenting their significant accomplishments in their field. Karen is a CPR instructor and is a member of her local theater group.