Patient Family Advisors Q&A

How did you come to be an Evergreen Patient Family Advisor?

Sara
I became an Evergreen Patient Family Advisor in March 2009. Two of our three sons spent time in the Evergreen Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. We were excited to help make a difference in the lives of other families with children in the NICU.

Kip
I became a Family Advisor in the Fall of 2009. I had recently retired from IBM, and was looking for a way to volunteer which could leverage my experiences as a stroke survivor.

Jennie
I became an advisor about a year and a half ago after spending three months at Evergreen delivering and caring for my twins. I was looking for an opportunity to help other families in similar situations, and when this program presented itself, it was the perfect way for me to do just that.

Karen
The MS Center social worker suggested that I become a patient family advisor. I was excited to be recommended as a candidate to help the MS Center and Evergreen hospital.

Morgan
I became an advisor because of the lengthy stay our twins had in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Amy
I learned about the Advisory Council last fall after attending the out-patient diabetes education series with Lois Reed.

Vincent
About six months ago Nancy Bartholomew asked me if I would be interested in participating in the project.

Brandy
I have a strong desire to utilize my past experiences as a young adult battling Multiple Sclerosis to help the newly diagnosed, as well as lending my perspective as a patient to help staff.

What kinds of projects or task forces have you been involved with as an Advisor?

Sara
I have given the nurses and staff feedback on a variety of topics. I have also worked on ideas for a NICU website and a brochure for new families. I have also been able to volunteer leading a parent support group.

Kip
I reviewed the new website, meet with other stroke survivors and their caregivers in my role as a mentor and I meet monthly with the Evergreen Neuroscience Institute council.

Jennie
I've helped to create a support program for patients with children currently in the NICU, I've been organizing the NICU website, working with staff and participating on patient panels on how to improve patient care and satisfaction.

Morgan
I'm researching information for the resources section of the our website; I was in charge of finding places to eat, parks, hotels, walking trails, etc.

Vincent
I attend the monthly meetings of the heart failure committee and offer a patient's perspective. I also attended a four hour meeting to help staff work on their STAAR Initiative (State Action on Avoidable Re-hospitalizations).

Brandy
I have participated in discussions on implementing welcome and tips an resources packets to include in the resource center, and I've offered insight on importance of staff training in areas such as protocols for injecting medication and supplies to have on hand.

Stephanie
I've helped create the Parent to Parent group that meets weekly for NICU parents.

What do you like best about being involved as an Advisor?

Sara
I like having an opportunity to make a good place even better. I love being able to help families who are going through an experience similar to what our family went through.

Kip
I had never met anyone who had suffered a stroke before, so it has been as valuable to me as I hope it has been to the survivors I have had a chance to meet and share our experiences.

Jennie
I like being able to support families who are currently going through the struggles of having a child in the NICU. I also enjoy giving back to the staff and facility that helped bring my sweet children into this world!

Karen
I like that I will be able to make the Neuroscience Institute better for those like me that have MS and their families. I feel I can give back to the MS community by being involved as an Advisor.

Morgan
I've really enjoyed meeting all the women and hearing their stories and learning from their experiences at Evergreen. I also love that I am able to give back to such an outstanding organization that gave us greatest gifts ever!

Amy
I love hearing the staff discuss their ideas for communicating critical information to patients. It's a privilege to provide feedback to them, to assist in achieving their goals.

Vincent
I enjoy being able to contribute to the Cardiac Enhancement teams efforts to improve the patient experience.

Brandy
I enjoy being an active voice and advocate for something that has impacted my life in such a big way. It has given me a sense of purpose to take something that I have struggled with and learned from and create a way to be a source of empowerment and a sense of hope for others, as well as being a contribution in carving a path for supreme health care.

Stephanie
Being able to give back in some form for the phenomenal care that my son and I received while at Evergreen.