Amanda Vasquez Dotter
Amanda Vasquez Dotter remembers feeling terrified on her first day as a nurse at Country Meadows Retirement Communities. Now, seven years later, she is managing the nursing team as director of wellness at the Forks Township in Easton campus. She loves how she has grown with Country Meadows to impact the lives of residents and co-workers and how the family-owned organization has helped her move forward in her career.
Dotter started as a dining associate at the Allentown campus while a student at Kutztown University. When she saw nurses working with residents, she knew that’s what she wanted to do. She transferred to Lehigh Carbon Community College for nursing school and continued working part time for Country Meadows.
“Country Meadows was really accommodating with my schedule through nursing school,” says Dotter. “When I got my degree they helped me find opportunities to advance.”
For Dotter, that meant training to become a personal care associate (PCA) before transferring to the Bethlehem campus for shifts as an LPN. When an assistant director of wellness position became available, her managers encouraged her to apply.
In addition to treating every resident like her own grandparent, Dotter loves how her team works hard while keeping things fun and light. “We’re all there for each other,” she says. “That’s really evident when we go through something like a big snow storm.”
As Dotter continues working at Country Meadows, she sees more opportunities to advance in her career. “This is a great organization. Our standards are so high, and we are ahead of the curve in many clinical areas that are helping to keep our residents well. I’m proud to be part of an organization where nurses have so many opportunities to lead.”