We were lucky to catch up with Ann Muraya BSN,RN recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ann, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
When I began working in an adult day setting, I was grateful that I landed a nursing job that served my needs at the time. Little did I know that God was settling me into my destiny and purpose. A few years after serving diligently as an employee, my husband and I took over the business and also ended up buying the entire building. Along the way, I have learned that there are no accidents, mistakes, or coincidences. God has His own divine way of planting us in places where He has destined us to grow, flourish, and bear fruit. When He assigns us to a particular mission, He provides and equips us with the means to execute accordingly. However, we have a role to play by being attentive, consistent, persistent, dedicated, earnest, and careful not to take the role for granted. Whoever can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much.
Ann, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Ann Muraya, and I am on a mission to serve God’s people. I have a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Northwest Missouri State University, and my greatest joy is being a provider at Truman Ridge Adult Day Center (TRADC). The center is licensed through the Missouri Health and Senior Services, and we are totally and completely devoted to the wholeness of our participants and anyone in our sphere. TRADC is a warm, fun, and safe place that provides vital services to our Kansas City community. Our diverse team of impeccable, resourceful staff is well-equipped to bring solutions to many problems. Our main goal is to minimize loneliness and isolation through healthy socialization and peer interaction, promote individual independence, and work with families and healthcare providers to ensure optimal functioning. Our joy is to support and empower our community to thrive at home in order to avoid premature institutionalization and unnecessary ER trips. Some of our primary services include providing transportation, health monitoring, assistance with doctor’s appointments, education, an array of indoor and outdoor activities, and so much more. We are here to promote health and foster a sense of belonging while establishing strong bonds of fellowship because no man is an island. The love and care shared here is unmatched. We go above and beyond to ensure that the individualized needs are met because only then can the person be healthy and whole.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Other than training knowledge, I do believe that emotional intelligence determines our success. It plays a big role in how we interact with our environment. I define emotional intelligence as the ability to be in tune with both our own emotions as well as others. Good emotional intelligence helps us make informed decisions and, in turn, build stronger relationships. I strive to live well with people, empathize with others, communicate effectively, and be both self and socially aware. This has helped me handle emotions, connect with people, and stay calm even in difficult situations. I enjoy being around individuals who are emotionally intelligent as they are motivated by things beyond external rewards. As a leader, my goal is to help my team feel autonomous, heard, and valued.
Any advice for managing a team?
Even though there’s an overlap, I really like to think of myself as a leader as opposed to a manager. I strive to take care of myself first before maximizing the efforts of others toward achieving the goal. I do not enjoy the process of micro-managing others, but I do enjoy guiding while allowing team members to explore their autonomy, skills, and abilities. I think that striking a good chemistry with a team is essential. Being able to interact with them freely is one way to provide support when and where needed. There’s richness in bringing together various ideas from a good team. My philosophy is to lead by example. My versatility allows me to be comfortable in all possible roles. This allows me to understand better the challenges that come with these roles. I do not like to tell anyone to do something that I cannot do myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trumanridgekc.com
- Facebook: Truman Ridge
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0FQfyU40Tc&t=50s