Siblings Day: Mitniks motivated to care for patients

Editor's note: To recognize Siblings Day, on Saturday, April 10, coupled with the Register's continued commitment to profile local frontline health care professionals, the newspaper reached out to siblings in the area who provide care for patients. Here is one of two news stories printing this weekend. The other is here. BERLIN HEIGHTS — As children, Jacob and Jordyn Mitnik were inseparable. Behind their Berlin Heights home, they often journeyed into the backwoods, hiding in tree-filled areas and aimlessly exploring through nature. Their parents, Rich and Lorrie Mitnik, would watch them from afar. They went on many day trips together, including frequent voyages to Cedar Point, sitting beside one another and roaring in unison while riding death-defying roller coasters. And each even put up with the other's silly obsessions. "Every single weekend, when we were young, he would make me watch every single 'Star Wars' movie with him," Jordyn said. "We could not watch anything else until we watched 'Star Wars.'" So, to those who know Jacob and Jordyn best, it comes as no surprise they both pursued similar careers in health care. Jacob Mitnik Jacob works as a registered nurse for Firelands Regional Medical Center at its medical-surgical/oncology unit. Come May, he'll celebrate his three-year anniversary as a nurse. "I've always had the passion to help others," said Jacob, a 2016 Edison High School graduate, who still lives in Berlin Heights. "There were a couple of career paths that interested me, but the medical field was a path where I really felt I could make a difference." When asked about a nurse's main responsibilities, Jacob didn't hesitate in answering: "We help care for those who are sick and have the ability to assist in their healing process. It has been rewarding to witness those who once came into the hospital extremely ill and be at their side, throughout their care, until the point they are able to go back home." Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Jacob's determination to ensure patients under his watch recover and live a strong and healthy life hasn't wavered one bit. "I still have the passion to help and heal others," Jacob said. "I help care for very ill patients, and nurses play a bigger role of being patients' support systems due to the safety precautions of no visitors. Though, in a way, the determination has changed." Jacob explained what he meant. "This has been one of the hardest years on the medical field," he said. "We have worked extra hours in very stressful situations. A lot of us were experiencing nursing burnout before the pandemic, and the pandemic made it much worse. There are many medical professionals out there who are just exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally." Jacob then shared a message he wanted all community members to understand. "We are continuously working very hard to care for our patients," he said. "I would like people to know that, if they become a patient or have a loved one who becomes a patient, please do your best to have patience with us. Many of us are tired and still have a lot on our plates." Though he remains grateful for the opportunity to serve. "I am proud to be a nurse," Jacob said. "I take honor in caring for those in our community so they can continue to live their lives with their loved ones." Jordyn Mitnik On the surface, Jordyn followed in her brother's footsteps. "Jacob definitely inspired me to go into the medical field," she said. "Hearing all the things he does as a nurse, and how he helps people, made me want to help people, too." But, upon revealing her life's layers, the 2018 Edison High School graduate developed an early fascination with the medical field upon experiencing some life-changing, and sometimes scary, moments. "Growing up, I had a lot of medical issues, and the first thing the doctors would always do was get blood work on me," said Jordyn, who still lives in the village. After the initial shock wore off, Jordyn took mental notes regarding how physicians and medical assistants treated her. "I was getting my blood drawn a lot, and it was something that I always found interesting," she added. "My blood work was something that gave my doctors answers, or a starting point to help me get better, and I wanted to be someone that could help others get answers, too." Jordyn's curiosity for the profession ended up parlaying into a career as a phlebotomist at Mercy Health - Lorain Hospital, where she's worked for a little more than a year now. Her career launched, pretty much, right when COVID-19 became a true threat in Ohio. "Immediately, I was going into COVID-positive patient rooms. It was a little nerve-racking, not knowing what to expect," Jordyn said. "The gowning-up, gowning-down and sanitizing from one room — to do it all over again at the next — became exhausting almost immediately." Though she didn't quit. Despite her inexperience, she mustered up enough courage and found the resolve to treat patients in desperate need of attention. "It was something that we knew we needed to do not only for ourselves and our families but for our patients," said Jordyn, showing admiration for her co-workers as well. "We never imagined something like this happening, but this is our job, and this is what we signed up for." Jordyn underwent both professional and personal struggles she could never imagine prior to working as a phlebotomist. But she persevered through the strenuous shifts, which not only gave her confidence but provided reassurance in the career path she chose. "I am proud to work in the health care field now more than ever because I want to be a part of the fight," said Jordyn, crediting her longtime boyfriend, Bryce Roberts, as a continued supporter who believes in her life's choices. "The doctors and nurses are doing an amazing job at fighting the virus, and it is humbling to be a small part of it." Jordyn envisions working the rest of her life in health care. "Now, more than ever, patient care is so important. Patients, not just COVID patients, have felt alone in the hospital," she said. "For the majority of the pandemic, visitors have not been allowed in hospitals, so taking the extra few minutes out of our busy day to talk to patients is so incredibly important." Showing some sibling love Jacob and Jordyn also have two other siblings: Tyler and Taylor Matter. "They both have worked incredibly hard during the pandemic as well," said Jordyn, noting Tyler serves as a UPS driver, and Taylor works at Parschauer Eye Center. Jordyn, noting she and Jacob maintain a close bond with Tyler and Taylor, explained how they served the public this past year: • "People ordered a lot of items online to be shipped to their homes. Tyler has had very long and tiring days, and then he would go home to his wife and four boys. At the start of the pandemic, they had twin baby boys, so it was even more important for him to be careful and stay healthy." • "Taylor still had to be up close and personal with patients every day. There are a lot of essential workers that don't just work in the hospital, and they are a part of that group." Showing brotherly, and sisterly, love In separate interviews, both Jacob and Jordyn shared a private, heartfelt message with the other, giving one another assurances as they continue serving along health care's frontlines. • Jacob on Jordyn: I have so much respect for my sister. I admire that she truly followed her heart. Being a phlebotomist in the medical field, you're definitely not the patients' most favorite person, but Jordyn handles the job very well. She is able to comfort others while also standing up for herself when she needs to. I know that she has put in a lot of hours and hard work throughout this pandemic. She has proven that she has a good work ethic and a good heart. • Jordyn on Jacob: I want Jacob to know how proud my family and I are of him. He went back to school to receive his bachelor's degree in nursing while working as a night-shift nurse. I know how hard he worked in school while working through a pandemic, and I know it couldn't have been easy. He inspires me to be better in the medical field and maybe even go back to school myself. I am so grateful to have him as my older brother and to be able to look up to him.