They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are new grads; some are "not so new" grads. They are women, they are men and they represent a multitude of ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. One thing they all to have in common is a solid belief in the mission of Misericordia and high regard for the Children and Adults living here.

As nine year Misericordia south veteran Sally Scapallato, put it, "it's not so much that we have special knowledge about nursing for people with disabilities, it's that we understand that they are people and we are committed to providing them with the same standard of care we would provide for anyone else. Most importantly," she added, "working at Misericordia has allowed me to come back to the type of nursing I was trained for."

One common thread among the nursing staff seems to be that unlike a hospital environment where patients come and go after brief stays, Misericordia staff are able to provide ongoing care for residents over an extended period of time. They routinely see the results of their hard work. For the more medically fragile resident in an acute setting, this may mean the stabilization or improvement of a medical problem. A large majority of Misericordia residents require no more than health maintenance and instruction in regular wellness routines. The opportunity to deliver direct, individualized care in a creative manner is what makes Misericordia different from other settings.

The nurses enjoy their work at Misericordia because they know the work they do makes a difference in the lives of the children and adults entrusted to their care.

"I connect to my patients," says one year employee and registered nurse, David Rustile, who works on the north side's unit for residents with cerebral palsy. "Maybe it's because I don't have children of my own. But, when one of my patients is sick and I'm not here, I worry.'

"I have wanted to work at Misericordia since I walked past here on my way to school each day," recalls LPN, Kenyetta Marks. I used to think, "Look at those kids, I want to work there. People have told me they couldn't work at a place like Misericordia. But, I tell them that if you have an open mind and an open heart, you see the person inside." Kenyetta has opened her heart as a Misericordia employee for the last four years.

Perhaps nursing supervisor and nine year veteran, Pam Dryier summed it all up when she stated, "There is no other place like Misericordia, and it's in a class by itself. "Mis" is not just a place or a bunch of buildings, it's a spirit and a feeling that you won't find anywhere else. This is not a job for me, its part of my life."

Operated by the Sisters of Mercy under the auspices of the Catholic Bishop of Chicago, Misericordia has been providing services for persons in need since 1921. Originally a home for unwed mothers, its current Mission began in 1954 when Misericordia opened its doors to infants and children with mental disabilities. Today's residents represent a diverse range of ages, disability types, ethnicities, religions, races and socio-economic backgrounds.

Presently, Misericordia's network of quality care consists of a campus on the north side of Chicago that embraces over 550 children and adults challenged by mental and physical disabilities. The Misericordia campus is located at 6300 North Ridge Avenue and contains nine individual group homes, an independent living apartment complex, four residential centers for non-ambulatory children and adults, an intensive training center for children, ten structured apartments for adults with severe and profound mental disabilities and four home sites in the neighboring community. The Mother McAuley Residence provides skilled nursing care for children with severe and profound mental and physical disabilities.

Misericordia has immediate opportunities available for caring, compassionate RNs and LPNs at its picturesque campus-like setting, and offers a friendly, professional working environment that is conducive to personal growth and the development of new skills. The approach is interdisciplinary, allowing program staff, therapeutic staff, medical staff and personnel from other service areas the opportunity to work together in the development of programs that are tailor made with the individual resident and their families in mind. It is the attention to the provision of personalized and compassionate care which respects the uniqueness of the individual that sets Misericordia apart from others.

Misericordia is an equal opportunity employer that offers all employees a non-smoking environment with a competitive salary. The benefits package includes specialized training, career education and parking. Employees working at least 30 hours per week are also eligible for health care, vacation, sick, and personal time. Interested employees at the North campus may also elect to participate in that location's fitness/wellness programs. Misericordia provides stable employment and advancement opportunities for all employees at both locations.

Recognizing that employees have other outside responsibilities that can make the traditional nursing schedule difficult, Misericordia offers several full and part-time scheduling arrangements. Some of those include the traditional eight hour shift (days, evenings and nights) as well as ten hour shifts (5:00 am - 3:00 pm, 3:00 pm - 1:00 am, etc) and twelve hour shifts on the weekends. Shift differentials are given for PM's, ON's, and weekends.

To learn more about a position at Misericordia, please call or send your resume to:

Or Email Nursing@Misericordia.com
We'll be happy to arrange a tour of Misericordia and answer any questions you might have.