Meet Our Nurses: Olivia, RN, BSN

Olivia has been an ICU nurse at Rush University Medical Center for 18 years. What’s kept her here so long? It’s the special dynamic that she and other nurses share with doctors and staff.

”The doctors treat us like a part of the team—they ask for our opinion and they value our opinion,” she says.

The doctor-nurse feedback goes both ways, because both doctors and nurses share one paramount concern: the care and safety of the patient. “We aren’t afraid to approach the doctors,” Olivia says. “We have the right to question them regarding the care of the patient, and they really appreciate it.”

Olivia says she loves that everyone on staff takes patient care seriously. When complicated care issues are involved, “we’ll call a patient care conference with doctors and family and other ancillary services to get the best approach to solving the problem,” she says.

Besides caring for patients, the unit itself ensures that everyone is working in the best and most efficient ways. “Management listens to us when there are problems in the unit and seeks our opinions,” Olivia says, adding that monthly Unit Advisory Councils respond to concerns quickly and efficiently, as a team.

Patients can tell the difference—not just with the care they receive, but with the respect they and their families get during a stay at the medical center. “The patients see the way we take care of their relatives and appreciate it,” Olivia says.

Newly graduated nurses get the same attention. Olivia says she enjoys being a preceptor for younger nurses because of the opportunity to share her knowledge and experience with them. “I make sure that the most important aspect of our jobs, that of patient care, is a priority,” she says.

Whether they are new or experienced professionals, the opportunities at Rush keep everyone challenged. “You’re encouraged to expand your knowledge,” Olivia says. Even after 18 years, she says she’s still growing—and loving her Rush life. 

Join Olivia on the Rush Nursing Team
If you’re interested in joining the nursing staff at Rush University Medical Center:

• Apply online at www.jobsatrush.com
• Fax your resume, noting area of interest, to (312) 942-3212
• Mail your resume to the following address:

Human Resources/Nurse Recruitment
Rush University Medical Center
729 S. Paulina Street
Chicago, Illinois 60612

To speak to a recruiter, call us at (312) 942-3456.