May 5, 2021

Melissa Pribyl, RN, Community Health & Wellness Nurse

Central, Life@Work, Work Life

“My parents have been my biggest inspiration. Gosh, my father was a funny guy. He was always happy. He would whistle all the time and always be dancing down the hall. He just made us smile and laugh and he loved life. Unfortunately he died at 59 of a cardiac arrest and it was sudden and shocking and such a loss for our family. It was tough. But my mom was strong and she moved forward. She smiled again and kept going. She was resilient. And today my mom and my sister are my best friends. I feel very lucky.

I’ve been a nurse for 24 years and I knew right away that I had found my niche. Nursing is really my calling. For the last three years, my role has focused on community health and wellness. One part of my work is the Bounce Back project, which promotes health through happiness. We help people build resilience – sometimes it’s just a simple reminder to be kind or to share gratitude. Improving your health doesn’t always have to be a big thing. My purpose is to connect with people and serve our community. Sure, that’s what I get paid to do, but it’s really what I want to do. It’s where I get my good feelings. It’s who I am.”