Submitted by Providence Swedish
Erica Jones’ journey to health care began with a series of jobs, a lot of questions and a willingness to try something new. Jones is currently the nurse manager for Medical South, Virtual Nursing and Wound Care at Providence Centralia Hospital, where she oversees nurses, certified nursing assistants and innovative care models that are reshaping how patients are supported. She has worked at the hospital since 2013.
Erica’s path to nursing began after a divorce, when she found herself reevaluating her future. At the time, she was driving a forklift in a warehouse and running heavy equipment at a sawmill. “I just had jobs,” she said. “Things to get a paycheck.”
Inspired by a friend returning to college and having conversations with coworkers about their spouses’ careers, Jones began asking questions, particularly about nursing. Unsure if health care was right for her, she enrolled in a certified nursing assistant (CNA) course to test the waters. It turned out to be her favorite class.
Erica completed her CNA training at a long-term care facility in Lacey, where she was offered a job immediately. She took a significant pay cut to leave warehouse work behind, but she quickly realized she had found something that mattered.
“I really, really, really liked it,” she said. “I liked taking care of people. I liked the troubleshooting. I liked helping people.”
Working in long-term care, Erica formed close relationships with her patients, whom she describes as “adoptive grandparents.” The bonds with residents and coworkers solidified her decision to stay in health care, even as she progressed through additional roles and credentials.
Erica worked as a CNA at Providence St. Peter Hospital while continuing her education, later becoming a licensed practical nurse. She went on to work in memory care and skilled nursing facilities before earning her registered nurse degree.
When she moved to Lewis County, she began working at Providence Centralia Hospital. Now, more than a decade later, Erica leads multiple departments and plays a key role in supporting the hospital’s unique co-caring unit. The model pairs a bedside nurse and CNA with a virtual nurse, creating a team that shares responsibility for a group of patients.
Virtual nurses assist with administrative tasks and patient communication, allowing bedside staff to focus more on direct care. “Patients appreciate the layered approach, and caregivers report higher satisfaction as the model continues to evolve,” said Erica.
As a manager, Erica focuses less on titles and more on people. She sees her primary responsibility as supporting her team. “If my nurses are taken care of properly, then the patients are taken care of,” she said. “It goes together.”
That philosophy aligns closely with what Jones says makes Centralia Hospital special, with its close-knit culture and deep community ties. Many staff members have worked at the hospital for years, building long-standing relationships with one another and with the patients they serve.
“These are our neighbors,” she said. “Our friends. Our parents. There’s always a connection.”
Erica believes that sense of community translates into stronger advocacy for patients, especially when it comes to respecting personal choice. “Patients have a voice,” she said. “It’s your body. It’s your life. We’re here to educate and guide, but you have autonomy in your care.”
Outside of work, Erica stays busy. She has three adult children and seven grandchildren. She is in her final year of a master’s degree program and unwinds by reading, playing video games and building intricate Lego sets and wooden “book nooks.”
She is also part of a book club with fellow nurses, a group that meets every six weeks at different Lewis County restaurants to discuss books that Erica admits are not always good.
“Sometimes we read horrible books,” she said, laughing. “But that’s part of the fun.”
For Erica, care is not confined to hospital walls or job descriptions. It is something she practices through relationships with her team, her patients and her community.
About Providence Swedish
Providence Swedish in South Puget Sound touches more lives in the 540,000 five-county service area of Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties than any other health care provider.
It is made up of:
• Providence St. Peter Hospital, a 394-bed facility founded in 1887.
• Providence Centralia Hospital, a 128-bed facility founded in 1926.
• Providence Medical Group in Southwest Washington, including more than 40 clinics with more than 350 primary, specialty care and hospital-based providers.
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