May 5, 2021

Mary Eisenschenk, RN, Transitions Coach

Central, Life@Work, Rural Health

“I have healing in my DNA. When I was about eight years old my father, Dr. Paul Moran along with Dr. Pladson, became founding fathers of what is now CentraCare. I grew up in the clinic. Ours and another doctor’s family cleaned, mowed the lawn and emptied the garbage. I answered phones when I was old enough. Later, as a student nurse, I took blood pressures and filled patient rooms. But when I came out of college at St. Ben’s I went to work at the VA because I was very nervous about working at St. Cloud—the hospital where my dad was everywhere. I eventually worked with him and learned so much from my dad.

As a transition coach, I travel up to 45 miles out from St. Cloud. My husband and I have four kids. We live in Avon and have cattle, so I can talk about farming with our patients who are farmers. The population we work with is usually stable and not going to palliative care or hospice. We help patients do for themselves. I’ve learned that kitchen-table medicine is sacred space. The less you talk, the more you listen, the more the patient benefits. You wouldn’t believe some of the things we see. It’s very humbling.”