Whether it’s assisting hospice patients in their final days or caring for families trying to overcome addiction, pharmacist Jessie Schaefer is used to taking on tough challenges.
She played a key role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been in charge of day-to-day operations at Osterhaus Pharmacy in Maquoketa, Iowa, since 2022. The 32-year-old approaches her leadership roles with a healthy dose of determination.
“I think it’s important to share your gifts with others and to try and make the community even better,” she said. “Health care is complex, and many people need help with it. It is incredibly rewarding to help someone improve their life by improving their health.”
Schaefer joined Osterhaus Pharmacy as a post-graduate resident in 2017. The business serves long-term care, hospice, homebound and community patients, according to Matt Osterhaus, a colleague who works with Schaefer. She has built collaborative relationships with other providers, governmental agencies and community groups to better serve the health care needs of the community.
“Jessie brings a can-do attitude to every project or interaction she is involved in,” Osterhaus said. “She has mentored students from high school age to recent pharmacy graduates on the impactful role pharmacists play in our health care system. She has a laser focus on lifting every member of the team to achieve their full potential. She is a patient listener and a lifelong learner. She does a great job of balancing fun with the work that needs to be done.”
Schaefer partners with the Jackson County Prevention Coalition to educate people about substance abuse and get patients and their loved ones the resources they need. Schaefer also volunteers with the Jackson County Regional Health Center Diabetes Education Center.
“The diabetes education team at our Jackson County Regional Health Center offers one-on-one and group education to help patients manage their diabetes,” she said. “I have had the pleasure of serving on the board for this team. I have enjoyed working with the health care team of doctors, nurses and dieticians to optimize medications and help meet patients’ goals.
“Helping patients to use and understand their diabetic meters has been rewarding to see the changes patients can make if they are given the appropriate tools and understanding,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer felt called to her profession early in life.
“I always knew I wanted to work in the health care field so I could help people,” she said. “As a teenager, my local pharmacist was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about my medications. It sparked curiosity in me about how medicine worked. I started working in a pharmacy a few years later and earned my doctorate in pharmacy.”
Schaefer is the youngest member of the Maquoketa Rotary Club, where she has served as treasurer and board member. She also volunteers with the local hospice organization. She encourages young people to “find a mentor and get involved in the community.”
“(Schaefer) is an active member of our local, state and national pharmacy organizations and she inspires others to be active also,” Osterhaus said. “Jessie integrates her volunteer time for the benefit of our community and is a part of the fabric of her life.”