Jóna Bára Jónsdóttir is the nursing director of the South Iceland Health Care Center in Höfn in Hornafjörður. We recently visited the HSU Health Care Center in Höfn and spoke to the nursing director. We asked her about her background and education, but also about the job itself, her passion for the profession, her work environment, and her everyday workday. We then asked her about life after work and learned that knitter Jóna Bára will become a grandmother this spring and plans to run a half marathon in Slovenia next fall. Our interviewee says the invaluable human resources at HSU are the best thing about the workplace. She loves living in Höfn, which she says boasts both unique natural beauty and a really good community.

BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION
Jóna Bára is 53 years old. She was born and raised in Seyðisfjörður and graduated from Egilsstaðir High School. ,,After graduating, I took a three-year break from my studies to explore various possibilities and try out different jobs. I even enrolled in physiotherapy at the University of Iceland and studied there for one semester, but quickly realized that it wasn’t quite for me. So I started studying nursing at the University of Iceland and graduated from there in 2001. Later, I decided to deepen my knowledge even further and completed a diploma program in geriatric nursing and health care from the University of Iceland and the University of Akureyri. I am currently completing a master’s program in emergency nursing at the University of Iceland, which has been both challenging and very educational.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT HSU IN HÖFN?
“I moved to Höfn in the summer of 2002 and started working for the municipality that ran both the Health Care Center and the nursing home at the time. For the first few years, I worked mainly at the nursing home, but in 2012 I started providing home care within the Health Care. Since then I have worked there continuously, so I have been in health care for 13 years. However, my workplace has officially been part of HSU since the merger in 2020.”

JOB DESCRIPTION OF THE NURSING DIRECTOR
“As a nursing director of a Health Care Center, I am responsible for organizing and coordinating the institution’s nursing services in collaboration with my staff and handling daily operations. My main tasks include ensuring quality work within the nursing service, organizing human resources, assigning tasks, and meeting with interesting people on various issues related to our services.”

NO DAY IS THE SAME
,,But I also work on the floor as a nurse on a variety of projects and am so incredibly lucky to be able to take care of the clients who come to us. The workday can therefore often be colorful and take on various forms. No days are the same. I never know 100 percent what the day will bring when I show up for work. It can involve having a lifestyle consultation, removing and scraping warts, dressing wounds, and treating accidents and acute illnesses. At the same time, I may have to assist with blood tests, taking X-rays, and fulfilling the role of nurse manager.”

BEST THING ABOUT THE WORKPLACE?
,,What stands out is undoubtedly my colleagues. I am extremely lucky with my colleagues. We are a close-knit team where everyone contributes to providing the best possible service. There is a good working atmosphere here, cooperation is highly valued and we support each other in challenging situations. It is very important in healthcare to have a strong team and a positive atmosphere, and that is something I value very much in my workplace.”

ANY IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED?
“If I could change anything, I would like to see our healthcare service further strengthened in terms of human resources and facilities. It is important to ensure sufficient staff and increase stability in staffing, especially when it comes to doctors. I would also like to strengthen services to residents even further, for example by increasing specialist services locally, so that people are less likely to have to travel long distances to receive necessary treatment. However, we are currently recruiting a doctor who will be with us for at least this year. It is extremely important to have stability in our medical team, both for clients and colleagues. In addition, we are always trying to find ways to improve our service and resources.”

BUT WHY NURSING?
,,I would say it was a combination of coincidence and curiosity about the healthcare sector. I started in physiotherapy and was also interested in occupational therapy, but at that time that program was not taught in this country. So I decided to try nursing and I don’t regret it. I quickly found that it was a good fit for me. I felt that nursing gave me a unique opportunity to work closely with people and have a real impact on their health, at the same time that nursing allowed me to develop professionally in many areas. So it was a combination of interest, coincidence, and a desire to work on something that matters that led me into nursing.”

AND IF NOT NURSING… THEN WHAT?
,,To be honest, I haven’t thought about it much. But if I could change jobs overnight, I think it would be something related to travel. I am very interested in traveling and getting to know new places, so it would be fun to work as a guide or tour guide, whether here at home or abroad. Being able to travel, teach people about interesting places, and experience new cultures would be a fun and varied job.”

FAMILY STATUS
,,I am married to Sigurður Halldórsson, who works as a Baader man at Skinney-Þinganes. We have three children: Jón Þór, 28 years old, Thelma Ýr, 25 years old, and Andrea Sól, 19 years old. The family will soon grow even more, as we are expecting our first grandchild in May. There is great anticipation that comes with that. In addition, our dog Rokko, who is turning 14, is an important member of the family.”

LIFE AFTER WORK
,,After work, life these days is mostly about studying, as I plan to complete my master's degree in emergency nursing this spring. When I can relax, I enjoy knitting – it's calming and rewarding. Right now, I'm knitting a homecoming set for my soon-to-be grandmother. But I'm also interested in running and other outdoor activities. When I turned 50, I signed up for a running group and am still active in it. We meet regularly to run together, and I've even signed up for a half marathon in Ljubljana this fall with my group. In addition, my husband and I love to travel and try to do it as much as we can. It's always fun to experience new places and create fun memories together.”

BEST THING ABOUT HÖFN?
,,Höfn is a unique place – here beautiful surroundings, spectacular nature, and a warm and very human community come together. Nature here is incomparable with its majestic mountains, glaciers, and sea, which gives the town a unique character. But it is also the people who make Höfn a good place to live. This is a good community.”