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Celebrating the Nurses Who Support Our Clients and Members

Becky Kloker couldn’t ask for a better team.

As a clinical operations unit manager for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT), she oversees a case management team focused on members’ overall health and well-being. The team, which includes six nurses, develops one-to-one relationships with members to help them improve their health, find resources or reach personal goals.

It routinely collaborates to ensure someone reaches out to the new referrals it receives and stays on top of daily member and provider follow-up calls. The nurses lean into their diverse backgrounds and experiences to connect members with the best available resources, Kloker says.

“When your team is clicking and working well together, it makes life so much better,” she says. “And this results in our members and providers being well taken care of.”

In recognition of National Nurses Week, May 6 - 12, BCBSMT honors its nurses for their empathy, compassion and commitment to our members. Here are some of their stories.

Kelsey Patton
Wellbeing Health Advisor
Health Care Management

Kelsey Patton landed her dream job.

From the time she was seven years old, Patton knew she was going to become a nurse to care for babies and made it happen. After college, she joined the U.S. Army as an officer, followed by three years as a reserve, and served in several clinical rotations along the way, including as an obstetrics nurse.

“I have absolutely loved my career,” says Patton of her path, crediting her military experience with exposing her to a variety of medical specialties — pediatrics, emergency medicine, primary care and medical-surgical nursing. “All of my experiences prepared me for the next thing. I absorbed all I could.”

As a BCBSMT wellbeing health advisor, her duties include supporting high-risk pre- and post-natal members with information and health education. Patton also helps members get the medical resources and care they need.

As an example, Patton helped expedite authorization for a chronically ill member in need of extended hyperbaric treatments, preventing a setback in her wound care and recovery.

“I enjoy connecting with people and love providing support,” she says. “I have all kinds of skills to offer.”

Kelsey Patton, nurse

Kelsey Patton

Jen Tobin
Wellbeing Health Advisor
Health Care Management

A severe childhood illness resulting in a pediatric intensive care unit stay partly influenced Jen Tobin’s decision to become a nurse.

“I still remember it,” says Tobin, a BCBSMT wellbeing health advisor. “The thing that stuck out to me was the nurses and how wonderful they were.”

In high school, Tobin’s fate was sealed after she and a cousin spent a weekend with a family member who was studying nursing in college.

“That visit impacted both of us,” she says. “We are both nurses. That’s where that nursing foundation came from.”

With nearly two decades of oncology experience at the bedside and in home health, Tobin joined BCBSMT in 2021 and supports many members diagnosed with cancer. For example, she worked closely with a man in his 30s, calling him at least every two weeks, until his lymphoma went into remission.

“He just kind of broke down and thanked me for listening and guiding him though everything,” Tobin recalls. “For me, to talk to members and make a difference makes me feel good.”

Jen Tobin, nurse

Jen Tobin



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