Inside Athena: Georgia-Native Taking on Infection Control at Glastonbury
GLASTONBURY, C.T. — The role Erica Tucker has at Glastonbury Health Care Center has a big part in making sure residents are staying safe.
As the Infection Control Nurse, she oversees vaccinations, precautions, wounds, and much more.
Glastonbury Infection Control Nurse Erica Tucker
“Anytime DPH or the CDC has an update, I am the person to implement it and make sure everything is within regulation according to the state,” she said.
She joined the center a year ago doing staff development but wanted more. When the Infection Control Nurse position opened, she “jumped on it.” Tucker had worked in infection control before at a prior job as the only licensed nurse in the doctor’s office she was at. She was working at Yale New Haven Hospital in the pulmonary step-down unit when Glastonbury caught her interest. She knew when she walked in she would like it because she liked the facility.
In late summer 2022, she took on the Infection Control Nurse position.
“I like that there is always something going on especially dealing with the state. It’s one of those positions where you cannot get bored. There’s no way. If you’re bored it’s because you’re not doing it,” she said. “I enjoy the challenge. The eight hours go by quick.”
Tucker, originally from Georgia, emphasized the importance of having a position like hers in a nursing home setting.
“We do work with immunocompromised individuals so they can go septic quick. They can catch any disease quick, so it’s nice to have someone here who’s able to help implement the regulations and what needs to be implemented while that nurse is taking care of the patients,” she said.
Healthcare was in her blood. Her mother was a nurse and Tucker had actually been her mother’s CNA while in long-term care. She received a bachelor’s from Valdosta State University in George and her nursing certification from Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. She’s also pursuing a master’s in nursing education from University of Bridgeport. Connecticut became her home two years ago.
While she said the role is tough, it’s rewarding and she enjoys working at the Connecticut center.
“It’s a family. It’s so family-oriented,” she said. “For the most part, all my friends are here and I work with them so it makes it easy to come to work when it’s a hard day.”
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