Business Smarts & a Passion for Nursing
By Katherine Noll
Some people come to NCC without any idea of what they want to do. Others have a clear goal. Melissa Lear knew exactly why she wanted to become a registered RN, and the reason was strictly business. But along the way, she developed a passion for nursing that is defining her life.
A graduate of East Stroudsburg High School, Melissa received a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from Centenary College and went on to earn her master’s degree in business from St. Xavier University in Paris, France. So how exactly did Melissa become a graduate of NCC’s school of nursing?
Like so many things in life, it started with a family dilemma. Ten years ago, Melissa’s mother, Beverly Allen, was semi-retired but working more than she ever had in her life. Beverly was caring for seven family members over the age of seventy. It was a full-time job, and when Melissa and her mother sought out help, there was none available. “We knew if we were looking for help, other people were, too,” Melissa says. The two decided to open their own company that would offer non-medical home care services. They named it Beck ‘N Call. They started out with one client, and gradually worked their way up. Today Beck ‘N Call employs over sixty-five home-health aides who assist elderly clients, who do not need skilled nursing, with everyday tasks such as meals and bathing.
About three years ago, Melissa and her mom decided to expand their business to include skilled nursing. They opened the Allen Lear Nursing Agency, but there was one problem. In order to be qualified under Medicare, the agency had to have a director who was a registered nurse.
“I never before thought about nursing as a profession,” Melissa says. Although she had helped out with client care in the early days of Beck ‘N Call, she had moved into administrative work as the business grew. Now the plan was for her to get her nursing license so she could run both businesses.
Because she was working full-time and the mother of two young sons, the decision wasn’t entered into lightly. However, with the support of her husband, family, and friends, Melissa enrolled in NCC’s nursing program.
When Melissa began taking nursing classes, something changed. The business woman who never envisioned a career as a nurse began to love her studies.
“The class sizes were small, and I made friendships that I know will last a lifetime,” Melissa says.
And the course work, while challenging, was fascinating to her.
“I enjoyed the opportunity to bounce around to all the different facilities,” Melissa says of her clinical rotation. “It provided me with a wealth of knowledge.”
Today, as the CEO of both Beck ‘N Call and Allen Lear, both located in East Stroudsburg, Melissa takes joy not in the business aspects of her job, but in working as a nurse. In fact, as busy as Melissa is, she loves to be with her patients even if other nurses from the agency are available to make the call.
“The best part of my day, any day, is when I get to go out and meet with a patient.” Melissa says. “Work is something you do every day, and it is so important to love what you do.”
There is a growing demand for home health care, but Melissa realizes that her chosen line of work is not for everyone.
“Home care is a very special place, and it takes very particular people to deal with the things we deal with,” Melissa remarked. “We are a very close-knit and family-oriented agency.”
