New Highland Medical Center Nurse Practitioner Ruth Holmaas Enjoying Her New Job

Monterey, VA – The Highland Medical Center in Monterey has a new staff member, nurse practitioner Ruth Holmaas. Ruth started in October and so far is enjoying life in Highland County.

“I love it; this is a beautiful area,” says Holmaas. “I really enjoy how friendly the people are and how they’ve made us feel welcome. I received a basket from the homemakers club when I first came here, which was wonderful. It’s just a great group of people to work with.”

Ruth traveled far and wide while growing up.

“My father was in the military so we have a long tradition of moving,” she says. “I was born in Georgia, and have lived in Kansas, Kentucky, Florida, Washington state, Illinois, Canada and Virginia. I graduated from high school in Canada; they sang God Save The Queen’ and Oh Canada’ at my graduation. I went to college at Shenandoah University, first got my RN degree in 1992 and went back to school in 2004 to get my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in nursing.”

Ms. Holmaas has a worked many years in nursing and brings over 20 years of health care experience to Highland Medical Center.

“I worked in a clinic up in Ranson, WV before I came here; that was my first job out of Nurse Practitioner school,” says Holmaas. “And that was a wide variety of people; we had everything from acute visits to people with complex chronic issues. It was just nice to be able to help people. It was a free clinic; I was able to feel like I was being a part of and making a difference. Before that I was a nurse at Winchester Medical center for 17 years.”

Ruth and her husband Andy had visited Highland County while on vacation prior to her taking the job here. Andy is an avid fly fisherman and has visited several county trout streams. Ruth is happy with the work environment at the medical center.

“It’s just a wonderful place to work because the commitment to quality and to caring is tremendous,” says Holmaas. “I feel like I’m making a difference.”