Meet the Mindermanns – a remarkable family with four members working at Perham Health. Amy, the mother, has been with the organization for five years. Grace joined four years ago, Sara joined one year ago, and Josi joined in June.

Having four family members at the same workplace is uncommon, so we wanted to explore what it’s like working together.

Roles at Perham Health?

Amy works as a patient access representative in radiology. She helps patients schedule their imaging procedures. “It’s strange how different each day can be. We recently had a day where 22 CT scans were done between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. That was a VERY busy day.”

Grace is a registered nurse (RN) in the medical/surgical unit of the hospital. “I work closely with the patients and the healthcare team. I try to get to know my patients by finding out their interests and where they’re from so that we can have conversations. I’ve heard some really interesting stories and met people from many different places.”

Sara works on the medical/surgical unit too and is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) “I assist the nurses in caring for their patients whether it’s getting a patient ready for the day or night, getting vital signs recorded, answering call lights, and assisting patients to transfer, walk, and stay comfortable.”

Josi is a patient access representative/health unit coordinator in the hospital and emergency department. “I work nights, so everything is pretty calm until it isn’t. I register patients and I might look at their insurance if something is wrong. I will do random tasks and when everything is done I can work on my homework until a patient comes in or until I am needed. I am studying to be a medical coder.”

What do you like best about your job?

Amy: Knowing we do our best to get patients the care they need as soon as possible. Being a small hospital has its advantages. The staff can make accommodations for patients so everything is done right away instead of having to wait for yet another appointment.

Grace: Every day is different. I could honestly write a book because there is always so much going on. I am constantly learning and improving my skills because I get to see and do so much. I also enjoy getting to know so many different people, including patients and coworkers.

Sara: I love getting to move between med/surg, obstetrics, and ED. I’ve seen amazing things and gained great experience which helps me in my nursing program. I’ve gained experience that I wouldn’t get in a school clinical setting. I’ve also made good friends which makes the job fun.

Josi: It is a pretty place to work, and all the staff are very helpful including my mom. I like that I can call or walk down to her desk whenever I need help.

Why did you choose to work at Perham Health?

Amy: I wanted to work at Perham Health because of my experience as a patient after an injury. The care I received during my week-long stay was extraordinary!

Grace: My mom knew that I wanted to be a nurse so when she saw that Perham Living offered CNA courses she signed me up without asking me! When I started, my mom and cousin worked for Perham Health and I was excited that I would get to see them.
I continued to work as a CNA while I was in college studying to be a nurse. It was very helpful because I got to see and experience a lot of the stuff that I was learning about. When I became a nurse, I knew I wanted to work at Perham Health because we have a really good team dynamic.

Sara: I chose to work here because my mom and sister, Grace, both did and this is where I receive my primary care. My sister got me interested in becoming a CNA.

Josi: My mom because she did this job and she liked it and thought I could do it. She promised to help me learn faster than others. I thought this job would give me good experience with helping and working with people.

How would you describe the culture at Perham Health?

Amy: I truly feel that everyone is looking out for what is best for our patients. Knowing that brings relief to me as a patient and an employee.

Grace: What I love most about Perham Health is the people who work here and the great sense of teamwork. I can’t tell you how many times in a shift my teammates will ask how I’m doing or offer to help.

Sara: The culture is great here. I’ve made many friends through this career both in the nursing home and the hospital.

Josi: Everyone is very helpful which makes me feel secure and that nothing can go wrong.

What’s it like working with family?

Amy: If I know one of my girls is working, I make a point to see how their day is going and bring them coffee. Luckily, I get along with my daughters, and seeing them succeed in the professions they have chosen brings me great joy.

Grace: When I first knew I was going to have to work with my sisters, I was kind of worried because we can have “sibling arguments,” but I’ve found that it is fun to work with them. Working with family has its benefits, especially for someone like me who never packs a lunch or snacks. Mom brings me coffee, Josi
brings candy, and Sara lets me steal her food. I don’t live with them anymore so it keeps us closer because I get to see them more often.

Sara: It can be fun working with my sisters and having all of the nurses and providers struggle to tell us apart. During the weekdays, I can go see my mom at her desk. I see Grace when we work the same weekend, and I see my twin, Josi, often, but she switched to overnights so it’s less often now.

Josi: Breaks are fun. It’s like having supper together at home or we play cards. Working with my sisters is no different than working with other nurses because they are mostly busy, but I do get to catch up on breaks. Working with my mom is great because I have her on speed dial and it feels a little bit like cheating. I mostly work overnights now so they keep me up-to-date on the happenings during the day.

All-in-all, the Mindermanns view Perham Health and Perham Living as a large family, with everyone supporting each other.

Perham Health Public Relations

About Perham Health 

Perham Health is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital with three primary care clinics, a 96-bed nursing home, home health care agency, adult day services, memory care assisted living, and senior housing.  The medical staff consists of 24 physicians, a nurse midwife, 14 advance practice clinicians, and three chiropractors. Visit perhamhealth.org to learn more.