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BrightStar Care franchisee Dwan Denk is the epitome of being the change she wants to see in the world.
Being a U.S. Navy Veteran and a nurse for 19 years, Dwan was well aware of what needed to be done.
As a nurse, she worked for Veterans Affairs (VA), where she realized changes needed to be made to give veterans the help they need.
“I’m a US Navy veteran and I believe that gave me a better view of the needs of our veterans not only as a VA nurse but also as a patient myself,” says Dwan.
Becoming the Change
After so many years of nursing, Dwan wanted to take her career to the next level by finding ways to make an even more meaningful impact on patients. She also wanted to discover the other side of nursing to see how the care is being delivered to patients.
"I always wanted to see how I could do it 'my way' per se and how I think care should be delivered," says Dwan.
Giving patients access to 24/7 care and having a team that is familiar with the patient's needs was the motivating factor for Dwan to become a small business owner.
Starting a Home Health Care Business
Searching for a home health care business wasn't an easy task for Dwan because many of them fell short in offering the continuance of health care she wanted to provide.
"There aren't that many resources in the community for veterans. It's pretty much VA hospitals, and that's it. BrightStar had that difference. They do business with the VA, and that's something I wanted to be a part of," says Dwan.
To jump-start her journey to making a difference, Dwan joined the BrightStar Care family last September and hopes to open her first location this January in Missouri City, TX.
As a new franchisee, Dwan was surprised by how much work it takes to be compliant and provide care that complies with all the business operations versus the hands-on operations.
She's currently becoming operational and setting up her business to provide health care for patients in the Missouri City area.
Making a Difference with BrightStar Care
Working with the VA was only one of many factors that motivated Dwan to open a home health care franchise. She was also drawn to BrightStar because of the ongoing franchisee support and their dedication to providing the best quality health care for everyone.
"The work is set for you. I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel. BrightStar Care has a huge reputation and has been in the community for over 20 years. I'm lucky to be able to tap into that. I also like that BrightStar has such a vast range of caregiving- pediatrics, adults and hospice patients," says Dwan.
Another factor that sets BrightStar apart from other home care agencies is the nurses' high level of care given to patients.
"I really admire that there are always nurses present to oversee the work of the caregivers," says Dwan.
Dwan was also impressed by BrightStar’s Joint Commission accreditation. For a record eight consecutive years, BrightStar Care has earned the Joint Commission’s Enterprise Champion for Quality Award – the only home care franchise system to do so.
"Out of all the other home care opportunities I researched, none of them had Joint Commission accreditation. That speaks volumes of this company," says Dwan.
Looking Ahead
Dwan saw a problem in her community and is becoming the solution thanks to her passion for helping others.
In addition to being a franchisee, Dwan looks forward to continuing her nursing career and hopes to one day provide live-in facilities for patients through BrightStar Care.
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