Familiar faces at RGA: Evie

Evie joined Rockford Gastroenterology Associates in 2011 and works as a registered nurse in our ambulatory surgery center (ASC) where upper endoscopies and colonoscopies are performed.

Nurses who work in the ASC are cross-trained in three areas: prep, procedure rooms and recovery. Evie also works as a charge nurse, which makes her the go-to person for one of those focused areas when she is in that role.

Evie has been a nurse for more than 30 years, with experience in obstetrics, labor and delivery, dermatology, urology and long-term care. She was first introduced to RGA when she tagged along with a friend for an appointment.

“I was impressed from the time I walked through the door until the time I walked out,” she recalled. “I called back to commend them. I had never been to a medical facility that was so friendly, organized and efficient.”

The visit stuck with her, and she called back later to inquire about job openings. There weren’t any at the time, but she sent in her resume to keep on file. Three months later, RGA called about an interview.

What she loves most about the job today is the teamwork she experiences daily.

“Because everyone is cross-trained, no one says, ‘that’s not my job,’” Evie said. “Who you work with and the attitudes around you are just as important as what you’re doing. RGA has that. The doctors are wonderful to work with – they care about this practice, they care about their patients and they care about the staff.”

Evie said she’s also fascinated by procedures such as colonoscopies that allow providers and patients to see what’s happening inside the body. She said patients often say the colonoscopy prep work is the most difficult part of the process, but the procedure itself is easy.

“It’s an important test that allows the team here to determine the next best steps for treatment,” she said.

Thanks for all you do, Evie!