CONNIE HAMPTON, MS, RN

• What I do: “I’m a nurse manager for the medical oncology unit at the Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur. It’s an acute care setting.

“I’m responsible for 39 patients diagnosed with a variety of illnesses — including congestive heart failure, COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] and lung cancer — and a staff of 60. It’s my job to make sure that the staffing levels and care are correct to meet patient needs.”

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BARRY WILLIAMS / Special

Connie Hampton is a nurse manager in the medical oncology unit at the Atlanta VA Medical Center in Decatur.

• What got me interested in this: “When I was 16, my father was in a bad accident that caused burns on 65 percent of his body. I watched how the nurses gave him meticulous care in the burn unit, the step-down unit and in med-surg for over seven months. I got to see all the different aspects of nursing and I thought it was something I could and wanted to do.

“I did my nursing school clinicals through the VA system and knew that was where I wanted to work.”

• Best part of the job: “The patients. This is a population like no other. I know I’m giving back to people who have put their lives on the line. It makes me want to go above and beyond.

“They are so appreciative of everything we do and don’t take anything for granted. I washed one guy’s housecoat and it made his day.”

• Most challenging part: “For me, the most challenging part is not being able to say, ‘No.’

“People think that government is totally rigid, but we look at each patient and his family differently. Everyone gets individualized care.

“I always want to give more, but you can’t always go the extra mile, and that’s frustrating. At 6:30 or 7 p.m., you’re pooped and it’s time to go home.”

• What people don’t know about my job: “The majority of my day is spent listening to patients and staff. You have to be part psychiatrist and part best friend. The humanistic side of being a nurse manager is showing genuine concern.

“My staff and patients have my cellphone number and know they can call 24 hours a day if there’s an issue. It may take me a minute to wake up, but then I want to listen. We are committed to patient-centered care.”

• What keeps me going: “This is my dream job. I know that my patients are heroes and that I can make a difference in their lives. My father was in the military and my husband — a medic — just got back from Iraq.

“Every day I come in to make a positive difference, and I can sleep at night knowing that any veteran gets the same care that I’d want my loved ones to have.”

• Preparation needed: “You have to be a master’s-prepared nurse, have a year of experience and go through the Nursing Leadership Academy. The VA system trains its leaders well.

“I also applied and was accepted to the Network Executive Healthcare Leadership Institute, which prepares managers for more progressive leadership roles.”

• Salary range: $75,000 to $94,000.

— By Laura Raines, Pulse editor. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to pulseeditor@ajc.com.