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Interview
by Michelle Lau Jennifer Simis, RN, works hard to make dreams come true. She is, after all, one of 38 nurses on staff at Disneyland’s 24-hour health services department. Whether it’s running audio and pulmonary tests on Disney employees or providing first aid for park guests, no two days are ever the same for a Disneyland nurse. Still, Simis manages to do all this with a smile—a must for Disneyland personnel. In addition to her nursing role, Simis is a Disneyland Resort “millennium ambassador.” Since last January, Simis has been one of two official representatives of Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and its 14,000 employees. As an ambassador, Simis acts as host to visiting foreign dignitaries and government officials. She also volunteers within the community and serves as an emcee for various Disneyland events. Simis is the only nurse ever selected to serve as a Disneyland ambassador; her term continues until June 2000. Q: How do the skills required of a Disneyland nurse differ from the skills required of a hospital nurse? A: You have to love working with people and going above and beyond their expectations. If somebody comes in and asks for something, it’s not just handing them a Band-Aid. It’s assessing the situation a little bit further, asking them how their day was or if there is anything you can do to make their visit at Disneyland better. Everything needs to be taken up an extra notch, especially your personality. Strong communication skills are necessary because we deal with so many people from around the world who come from different cultures and speak different languages. It’s important to be able to make the connection, especially with guests who are seeing you because they’ve been thrown a rotten curve ball. You want to ease their nerves and turn the situation around as best as you can so their vacation can move on, and they can have happy memories. Q: Any memorable experiences as a Disneyland nurse that you would like to share? A: The best thing is being able to turn around what could be a negative situation, especially for a little one. We had a little boy who came into health services who had fallen down and skinned both of his knees. He was sobbing when his parents brought him through the front door. We took him into the treatment room and lo and behold, Mickey Mouse just happened to stop by with a little bit of Disney magic. He held the boy’s hand while we got him cleaned up and ready to go back out to the park. He had stopped crying at this point; I think he was in total amazement. It was so cute because he looked up at his mom and said, “I’m going to skin my knees next time!” Q: How does your position as a Disneyland ambassador relate to your nursing experience? A: Both positions focus on making a positive difference in people’s lives. In my role as ambassador, one of the things I do is visit local hospitals with our Disney characters to try to cheer up patients—especially in pediatric units. Last month, I took Goofy to a local hospital. It’s such a kick to walk down the hospital corridor with Goofy and watch all of the faces of the physicians, nurses, and staff. Sometimes they are intense, or sitting there behind the nurses station doing their charting, when they look up and see Goofy. Nobody can help but smile. It’s a wonderful feeling, especially because I can relate to the nurses. I know what the day is like and the struggles they may have encountered. Also, when we are with the kids, I know what they have been going through with any kind of treatments they may have had. It’s fun to just poke your head in and say “hi” and watch them smile—even if it’s just for a minute or two. That makes it all worth it. |
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