My Job at Scheurer Health // Dawn Van Vliet, Swing Bed Care
My Job at Scheurer Health // Dawn Van Vliet, Swing Bed Care
At Scheurer Health, care doesn’t stop when a hospital stay ends. For many patients, healing continues — and that’s where Dawn VanVliet steps in. As Coordinator of the Swing Bed Program, she helps patients transition from acute hospital care to home, guiding them through the next phase of recovery with compassion, coordination and a deep understanding of what it truly takes to regain independence.
Swing bed care serves as a bridge between hospital and home. Patients who no longer need acute hospitalization — but aren’t quite ready to safely return home — can continue recovering right here in the community. The program provides skilled nursing care, therapy services, medication management, mobility support and thoughtful discharge planning in a comfortable, local setting.
Dawn’s days are filled with reviewing charts, collaborating with providers and therapists, checking in on patients, coordinating individualized care plans and preparing each person for a safe return home. But her role goes beyond logistics and clinical oversight. She offers encouragement, celebrates progress and provides reassurance on the harder days. The focus is not only on rebuilding strength, but also restoring confidence. As Dawn often reminds her patients, “Your goal is our goal.”
The swing bed program is designed to help patients grow stronger — physically and emotionally — before they leave the hospital. Whether supporting mobility, monitoring vital signs, adjusting care plans or simply listening, Dawn ensures every patient receives personalized attention aligned with their recovery goals.
In rural communities, extended care can sometimes mean separation from loved ones and hours of travel during an already vulnerable time. By keeping recovery close to home, Scheurer Health reduces travel stress, encourages greater family involvement, provides the comfort of familiar surroundings and creates smoother transitions back to daily life. Recovering locally strengthens not only physical outcomes, but emotional well-being as well.
For Dawn, this work is deeply personal. It’s about community, relationships and being part of a team that feels like family. The collaboration between nursing, therapy, providers and support staff ensures comprehensive, coordinated care at every step. Seeing patients walk out stronger than when they arrived — more confident, more independent — is what makes the work especially meaningful.
Because recovery isn’t just about healing. It’s about rebuilding strength and helping people return home ready for what comes next. And Dawn is proud to walk alongside patients every step of the way.
