Kristin Waite-Labott uses her own journey to connect with patients

12/19/17 02:51:pm

The people at Rogers are passionate about what they do and if you talk to them about why they’ve come to work here, many will tell you a similar story. Whether it’s family, friends or personal experiences, being impacted by mental health is incredibly common among the team at Rogers. It’s these reasons that explain why Kristin Waite-Labott, RN, Child and Adolescent units in Rogers–West Allis, came to be with Rogers

“I have wanted to work in behavioral health for many years. I have a personal history with depression and anxiety, and felt I had a lot to offer to patients,” she says. “Rogers is just down the street from me so it was a perfect fit.”

Kristin first came to Rogers back in January of this year, but she’s been a nurse for 26 years now. She was inspired to enter the profession by her grandmother, who was also a nurse.

Her personal struggles with behavioral health allow her to relate and connect with patients at Rogers, but she’s also published a book on her recovery journey titled “An Unlikely Addict: one nurse’s journey through addiction,” which speaks of her past and the growing substance use problem among healthcare professionals. She will soon be appearing on an upcoming episode of “The Doctors” and will be speaking about her experiences.

Kristin has found that collaborating with other members of the care team to be immensely useful, especially when more challenging situations arise.

“I had a patient who was having a particularly hard day,” she says. “One of the psychology interns, Tim, and I talked about what we could do for this patient to help. We came up with a plan and when we talked to the patient, she loved the plan. From that time on, she did better and she and I had a great therapeutic relationship.”

In her spare time, Kristin enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and loves the “meditative feel of the water and being in nature” when kayaking.