05/12/2008

Laurie Everts, RN, BSN, CWOCN, CFCN
Named McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center’s
Patient Choice Award Winner

Springfield, OR. May 12, 2008  – When McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center asked former patients to nominate nurses who exceeded expectations, the community responded with a number of nominations. The Patient Choice Award recognizes the exceptional care, comfort and compassion offered by the nurses at McKenzie-Willamette, and honors one nurse in particular.

As part of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2008, Laurie Everts, RN, BSN, Certified Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurse (CWOCN), and Certified Foot Care Nurse (CFCN) specializing in Diabetic Foot Care, was presented with the award.

Everts’ fills a unique role at McKenzie-Willamette. Her work day is spent running an outpatient clinic where she provides wound care to outpatients referred from general surgery, internal medicine, family practice and others. In addition, Everts consults with inhouse staff about inpatients who have wounds or ostomies (surgically created openings in the body for the discharge of body wastes) and helps care for and evaluate these inpatients. Everts also consults in the community with home health and skilled nursing facilities and mentors healthcare student workers. She is very active in her professional association, and she facilitates a monthly United Ostomy Association support group for patients in the area (held at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center).

Below are some patient comments about why they nominated Everts:

• Extremely knowledgeable in her medical field.
• Very loving, caring, gentle, kind, compassionate, and yet always professional.
• She explains thoroughly what she is doing and why.
• She is always on time for our appointments!
• A conscientious nurse, she makes sure everything is done correctly every time.
• I’d recommend her to anyone who needs help with wound care.
• I trust her decisions about my care.