By Amanda Ranowsky
“To me, the power of nurses is the ability to bring healing, hope, dignity and human connection into some of the most vulnerable moments of a person’s life.” – Charity Ampong, GHA Director of Clinical Services
At Goodwin Living, we recognize that the power of nurses lies not just in their clinical skill; it’s also in their ability to change outcomes and shape people: patients, families, colleagues and future caregivers.
For Charity Ampong, Director of Clinical Services at Goodwin House Alexandria (GHA), that power has taken many forms—from taking the initiative to gain specialized skills, to slowing down long enough to discover an unresponsive patient could communicate, to the way she’s helped shape the people who provide care across Goodwin House Alexandria.
In her 25+ years at Goodwin Living, Charity has impacted thousands of lives for the better. As we recognize Nurses Week 2026, we celebrate “The Power of Nurses” (this year’s theme) by sharing her impactful story of mentorship, empathy and innovation.
The Power in Heritage
Charity grew up in Ghana, and from an early age learned how to care for older adults. “We don’t have things like nursing homes or long-term care,” she said. “We take care of our own grandparents and children take turns in taking care of their elderly parents. Even if you are a child, you’ll be assigned to go stay with grandma or help grandma eat without even thinking about protocols or anything. I took care of my great grandma before I came to U.S.”
Her experience is common amongst many African cultures. “Almost every household will have somebody like my great grandmother in it,” she said. “When African people come to the U.S. and work in healthcare, they already are familiar with the care that the elderly need.”
Charity’s interest in pursuing a career in nursing developed in her teen years. “I love to take care of people,” she said. “In high school in Ghana, I was in a boarding school. If someone got sick, they’d want another student to go with that person to the hospital. I volunteered to be that person. And when I went to the hospital, I’d often see that the way the nurses and doctors took care of the person didn’t feel like they were really listening. I felt like there was something lacking, and because of that experience, I made it a point to myself that I would be a nurse and be the best one at it.”
After high school, Charity had the opportunity to come to the U.S., where she worked as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) for a year while she went to nursing school. She first encountered Goodwin Living when she came to GHA for her clinicals during her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) training. “When we came here, I knew this was the place I really wanted to work when I finished school,” she said. Approximately one year after completing her LPN training, she got a job as an LPN medication assistant in the GHA Health Care Center. After six months in that position, she was promoted to charge nurse, and her career continued to progress from there. A few years into her tenure at GHA, she became a U.S. citizen.
The Power That Shaped Her
While it is clear from her story that Charity’s own drive and skill helped her to advance her career, there was one colleague whose mentorship during her early years at Goodwin Living helped to set the stage for the nurse and leader Charity would become.
Fanny Williams was and continues to serve as a CNA at GHA. When Charity joined Goodwin Living, Fanny took her under her wing and helped her gain comfort and familiarity with nursing in a senior living setting. “She did not just teach me tasks or routines; she taught me how to care deeply and lead with compassion,” said Charity. “What made her mentorship special was that she led by example. She treated every resident with kindness and respect, and she made everyone around her feel valued. Her quiet consistency and dedication inspired me to keep growing.”
With Fanny’s encouragement, as well as that of residents, Charity returned to school to receive her RN and, eventually, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). With these qualifications, Charity advanced to the roles of Nursing Supervisor, Assistant Director of Nursing and, finally, her current role as Director of Clinical Services. The early encouragement Charity received would shape not only how she approached her own growth; it also would shape how she would care for others.
The Power in Practice
As Charity grew in her role, she began to see that the power of nursing isn’t just in knowledge or training; it’s in how those skills are applied with intention, curiosity and compassion.
A few years into her nursing career at GHA, Charity noticed a gap in the care that Goodwin Living could provide to residents: if a resident required wound care, they would have to go to an off-site location to receive that treatment. She asked for—and received—support to take a course so that she could be certified in wound care.
“I was among the first nurses not just at GHA, but in this area, to get a wound care certification,” she said. “Because I had the certification, residents no longer needed to leave campus to receive wound care.”
Other impactful moments in her career had less to do with formal training, and more to do with Charity’s own sense of compassion, empathy and dedication to person-centered care. She told the story of how her care of a resident with Parkinson’s disease transformed not only his care, but the care of countless others.
“This resident was at the point where he couldn’t write and he couldn’t talk,” Charity said. “We did our best to anticipate his needs in providing care, believing that he could not communicate with us.”
As part of his care, nurses had to make routine assessments and document this resident’s inability to communicate. “We had to go spend 15-30 minutes with the resident and ask them questions about their care, their pain, that kind of thing,” she said. “For a resident who cannot communicate, you’d usually ask the question, document that the resident is unable to answer, and move on.”
As Charity sat down with this resident, she decided to do things a bit differently.
“I asked him the first question, and just to see what would happen, I waited. I was just sitting there, the resident looking at me and me looking at him, and suddenly, he answered the question.”
“I was shocked,” Charity continued. “What had just happened? I asked another question and waited…and waited…and again, he answered. He was able to answer every question I had; we just hadn’t known that he needed more time than we were giving him to answer.”
Her discovery impacted more than this one resident. “We applied what I’d learned to many other residents with similar conditions,” she said. “I also went to a national conference and gave a presentation on what I’d learned with this resident. At the time, I was still an LPN, and it was a big deal for an LPN to be invited to give a presentation to RNs.”
This experience showed Charity how a nurse’s presence, patience and initiative could transform not just a single patient’s experience, but the way care is delivered more broadly. “That’s a real highlight of my time at Goodwin Living,” she shared, “knowing that my story impacted so many people, not just here, but across the continent, and helped them provide better care to their patients.”
The Power That Multiplies
Over time, Charity came to understand that the same attentiveness and initiative that shaped her approach to care could also shape the people around her.
As Director of Clinical Services, Charity views mentorship not as a formal responsibility, but as an everyday opportunity to support, encourage and develop others. Drawing from her own experience, she works to create an environment where team members feel seen, valued and capable of growing, just as she once did.
“Being mentored taught me the importance of leading with empathy, patience and encouragement,” she said. “I remember how meaningful it was to have someone guide me without judgment and help me grow with confidence. Because of that experience, I try to create an environment where my team feels supported, respected and heard.”
“I want people to know that their growth matters and that mistakes can become opportunities to learn,” she continued. “I believe strong leadership is not about authority; it is about serving others and helping them become the best version of themselves.”
Charity is passionate about helping others take advantage of opportunities that can advance their careers and strengthen their futures, whether that means pursuing further education, stepping into new roles or navigating life beyond the workplace.
“Many people think you can’t work and go back to school, and worry about how they’ll pay for it,” she said. “I tell them about my experience—I worked full time and had three kids throughout my schooling, and I was still able to get my RN and BSN. I received tuition assistance from the Goodwin Living Foundation to help fund my studies, too. I frequently encourage CNAs to go back to school and help them through the process, sharing where I found resources to help me accomplish what I did. Some of them are now working as supervisors and charge nurses. I’ve helped many people to progress in their nursing careers.”
Charity’s commitment to supporting others extends beyond the walls of Goodwin Living. She frequently presents on healthcare topics at her church’s annual national conference, and she shares job opportunities with her local congregation. “When I see a job posting online, I’ll print it off and take it to church,” she shared. “At our church’s community picnics on national holidays, I’ll take the microphone and announce jobs that are open at Goodwin Living. I know many people who are working here because of that.”
The Power of Nurses: Shaping Care, Careers & Community
Charity’s story reflects a broader truth about nursing: its power extends far beyond the care delivered in any single moment.
For Charity, that power has taken shape in many ways: through the lives she has touched as a clinician, the systems of care she has helped strengthen and the colleagues she has supported along the way. At the heart of it all is a belief that meaningful impact isn’t defined by title or position, but by the way people show up for one another every day.
It’s a lesson she learned early in her career through the example of her colleague Fanny Williams, a career CNA, whose steady presence and commitment to compassionate care helped shape the nurse and leader Charity would become.
“Fanny may not have pursued a leadership title, but she changed lives through her faith, dedication, compassion and mentorship,” Charity said. “She shaped the nurse and leader I became. She showed me that one of the greatest impacts we can have in nursing comes from simply showing up every day with excellence, kindness and a willingness to pour into others.”
That understanding continues to guide Charity today and informs the kind of legacy she hopes to leave through those she mentors. “I hope they carry forward compassion, integrity, resilience and the understanding that nursing is about humanity as much as healthcare,” Charity said. “I hope they continue to treat every patient with dignity and every coworker with kindness and respect. Most importantly, I hope they continue the cycle of mentorship by encouraging and uplifting others the same way someone once did for them. If they become nurses who lead with both skill and heart, then I know the impact will continue far beyond me.”
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As Marketing & Communications Manager, Amanda Ranowsky partners with colleagues throughout Goodwin Living to tell our stories and raise brand awareness. From printed collateral to digital marketing, Amanda covers many bases. Before joining Goodwin Living, Amanda worked for a small, family-owned business where she gained experience in content marketing. Amanda’s creative expression extends beyond the office. She is an active member of community theater and chorus groups.
