Meet Our Resident Care Managers

We’d like to introduce you to Kline Galland’s resident care managers, Elvie Eleccion, Ruth Mwawasi and Samira Rienzie. Together they represent quite a range of history at our home.

Elvie Eleccion, RN, has been here for over 35 years and has managed the transitional care unit since it was started in 2004. Ruth Mwawasi, LPN, started as a primary charge nurse in January and was promoted to RCM in June. Samira Rienzie, MSN, RN, has been here for over a year as an RCM.

Samira Rienzie

Elvie Eleccion (left) and Ruth Mwawasi

Despite the differences in their history at Kline Galland, they all agree that the rewards of working here are multifaceted. “I wake up in the morning and feel good about coming to work,” says Elvie. Samira enjoys that “It’s not just taking care that the patient is healthy in that moment. It’s also about their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being.” Ruth values their work with patients’ families—“helping them understand and navigate the care we’re giving, especially during COVID.”

As RCMs, Elvie, Ruth and Samira manage aspects such as staffing and coverage, quality assurance, and family consultation in their units. Elvie manages transitional care (about 65 residents), Ruth manages memory care (over 50 residents) and Samira manages long-term care (70 residents). Between the three of them, they ensure that all our residents are comfortable and maintain optimal health.

What are the things they like most about working at Kline Galland? Samira appreciates the variety of personalities at work and the “great admin team.” Ruth says, “There is very strong teamwork among leadership and those who work on the floor.” Elvie echoes the focus on teamwork and notes that “the organization really takes care not only of patients but also the staff.”

In her spare time, Elvie might be found clamming or salmon fishing. Ruth volunteers at health fairs for immigrants through a nonprofit called REACH, and Samira—a newlywed—enjoys reading and hiking.

Thank you, Elvie, Ruth and Samira, for all you do for Kline Galland’s residents!

What Does a Resident Care Manager Do?

According to www.payscale.com, “Resident care directors are in charge of overseeing residents and staff at a patient facility.” Here are more specifics from a Kline Galland job posting:

• Supervise licensed nurses and CNAs within the assigned area to build a cohesive team, and train, supervise, mentor and be a resource to allow them to function optimally.
• Work with QAPI (quality assurance and performance improvement) projects, incident reports and infection control.
• Provide hands-on assessment, evaluation and consultation of residents and resident care.

At Kline Galland, candidates for resident care manager positions must have an active RN or LPN license in Washington state, experience in a long-term care setting, proficiency in EMR (electronic medical records) and meet other qualifications.