BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) — When Sandra Lloyd heard about the staffing shortages in the healthcare field she saw it as an opportunity to help out.

Near the end of last year, the Corfu native lost her job in banking after more than 20 years in the field.

Losing her job was a shock, and during her job search she considered an entirely new career.

“I seen all the problems with healthcare with them having the shortage because of the shot and everything so I figured since I was vaccinated that I would do my part and help out,” Lloyd said.

She interviewed for a clinical nursing assistant position at United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

“I don’t have any experience in this, but I told them I wanted to help patients and connect with patients.”

She got the job, and started working in December.

“I was very nervous. I was like, ‘oh my God I don’t know if I can do this,’ knowing everything that an aid does I wasn’t sure I could handle it. The first day was quite hard but I jumped right in and started doing everything I could to help out.”

Her day-to-day includes handing out food trays, changing patients, drawing baths, and a lot more.

She said the sometimes-16-hour-days are worth it.

“Especially now, there’s a lot of people that don’t have family and stuff so I want to be that person that kind of helps them makes them smile during the day makes them laugh.”

Even though it took a pandemic to lead her down this path, LLoyd said it’s exactly where she’s meant to be.

“I don’t know if I would be here if it wasn’t for that, to tell you the truth, because I never would’ve seen the need for it, where there is a big need for aids. I mean, even nurses, anything in healthcare it’s rewarding, at the end of the day you feel good about yourself.”