Fall 2020 Faulkner Lifestyle

2020
WOMEN in
BUSINESS
Vickey Kirkemier
Administrator Superior Health and Rehab
Vickey, administrator at Superior Health
and Rehab, grew up in Hector, Arkansas,
and is a graduate of the University of
Central Arkansas and UACCM School of Nursing.
In 2018, Vickey was recognized by the Chamber
of Commerce as one of the Outstanding Women
in Business from our community. “This is really a
lifetime honor,” she says. Vickey and her husband,
Steven, share three children – Dr. Andrew and
Kelsey Robertson of Fayetteville, Dylan and
Mallory Venable of Conway, and Brody Kirkemier
of Conway.
Vickey’s advice to those just starting out is, “My
advice to others would be to always remember
why you chose this line of work. This profession
is much more than a job. When you are driven
to provide high level care and a pandemic hits
or things get tough if you can remember what a
difference you can make in people’s lives it will
help see you through these difficult times.”
Of what attracted Vickey to her career, she says,
“I have always been interested in caring for
others. I attended UCA thinking that I wanted
a job working with abused children. During my
college years I worked at a nursing home as a
C.N.A. and fell in love with the patients and
co-workers. Through this experience I knew that
I was drawn to take a more hands-approach to
care and then attended nursing at what is now
UACCM. After working in nursing, I was given
the opportunity to work in management with
Long Term Care and obtain my Adm’s license.
This job is like putting together all the experience
I had obtained and being able to apply that
experience in one location.
Vickey takes pride in making an impact daily
in the lives of others. “I would really like to
be remembered for making a difference in
people’s lives. I want to provide the kind
of care where people consider me as a
trusted caregiver. I want to be someone
you can call and ask questions even if
you are not planning to admit soon. It
thrills me to get calls where someone is
preparing me that they are going to need
long term care or rehab help and know that
by calling me I will be there to walk this path
with them,” she says. “The best part of my day
is the interactions that I have with my patients
and staff. It is especially a great day when we
get to send someone home to their loved ones
because they are better.”
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