Inside Business Health Care Heroes 2024: Jennifer Rizzotti
Award: Health Care Staff
Jenny Rizzotti, a patient care technician on the oncology unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, goes above and beyond to help patients feel better.
She uses her nearly 30 years of previous experience as a professional hairstylist to comfort and boost the dignity of her patients by providing free haircuts and styles. On the oncology unit, it is common for patients to experience hair loss from chemotherapy and something as simple as a haircut can change their entire mood for the better.
“It kind of got started with somebody asking me to trim up their beard or their sideburns,” she said. “Then co-workers would message me and ask if I could bring in my scissors because their patient really needed a haircut or a detangling or a braid.”
Patient Robin Gibson, who was undergoing treatment for leukemia, attested to the joy Rizzotti brought to her through acts of kindness in transforming her hair. When Gibson felt bad about her hair, Rizzotti cut it into a mohawk and added bright fluorescent pink coloring for fun. Six months later when Gibson returned to the oncology unit and was feeling sick from side effects of cancer, Rizzotti trimmed and styled her growing hair.
Jenny Rizzotti, a patient care technician on the oncology unit at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, cuts and styles patient Robin Gibson’s hair. (Courtesy of Sentara)
Rizzotti shared career insights with Inside Business.
Why did you pivot to the health care field? I went from hairdressing to health care when the country shut down during the pandemic. I was a medical assistant and decided to put my certificate to use. It is something I love to do.
What keeps you motivated? My motivation is the patients and their families. I can provide them a way to feel good and, for the moment when they are getting their hair done, they forget about being sick.
How do you cope with challenges? Doing patients’ hair can be challenging when they can’t get out of bed, so I have to have help with holding up their head and sometimes it takes three of us to make it happen, but we always find a way.
What are you most proud of? I am most proud of the way the unit always works as a team and we treat everyone like family on our unit. We go over and beyond to make the patient feel comfortable and try everything to make them feel like they are at home the best we can.
What lessons have you learned? I have learned to be humble and grateful for what you have today because tomorrow is promised to no one. And just take it as it comes and always see the good in everything — even if you have to look a little bit harder, it is there.
Any advice for those working with patients? My advice is to be patient with them. Everyone handles things differently. Always be kind and respectful because you have no idea what they are going through and what you say or do can make their day better or worse.
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