All in a Day's Work: Nam Vang, Senior Community Health Worker

Q:What's a typical workday like for you?

A typical work day is very busy. I am the lead for the Healthy Heart program for women age 40 and over who have heart disease or could have heart failure. I do a lot of follow-ups with them, coaching around lifestyle changes, including encouraging them to do physical activity and eat fruits and vegetables. When intake is very busy and I help non-English speakers with applications, I take them to the food shelf and to get housing assistance. I work with anybody, but whenever a Hmong client comes in and she doesn't know English, I will get pulled to help that client if no one else is available.

Q:How does your role fit into the bigger healthcare picture?

I see myself as a liaison between the medical clinic and the client. For example, there is no word for "cell" in Hmong. If a client would go to the provider and the provider talks to them about healthy cells, they would not know what that is. I explain it to the client.

Q:Who do you interact with during the course of the day?

I interact with my Healthy Heart clients, with co-workers, healthcare providers and my supervisor.

Q:Why did you become a community healthcare worker?

I decided to become a community health worker because I believe that I can change the community and the people I'm working with, just by helping them along the way to reach a goal. I have that connection with them.

Q:What do you like about your work?

I am always busy. I like talking to my clients and coaching them on lifestyle changes, seeing them one-on-one and interacting with them, just to make them feel that they're important. I love the awesome programs we have here. The programs are important, and the clients are also important.