Page 77 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2019
P. 77
They Couldn’t Do
it Without You!
The Incredible People who Support Doctors
n most endeavors, certain people gain prominent recognition. Doctors and dentists diagnose
disease, recommend medications, and perform procedures and surgeries that enhance the quality
I of life or save lives. These folks can’t do it alone, however. At their side or in the background, stand
essential individuals equally skilled in their fields.
We’d like to tip our hats to those who make quality medical care happen, those you see and some who
work behind the scenes. As Michelle Rinehart of Siskiyou Community Health Center says, “We put it
together every day.”
Nurses and assistants have various certifications, each with specified duties. A nurse’s role is vital.
While charts offer information, it’s also eyes on the patient to determine the patient’s condition.
Among other duties, they chart everything—what they see and hear, what the patient tells them. They
inform. “You’re educating constantly,” says Susan, an on-call nurse at Asante Rogue Regency Medical
Center.
CNAs help patients under a nurse’s supervision. In hospitals, they bathe and take vitals, and offer emo-
tional support. Medical Assistants (MAs and CMAs) assist with minor procedures, obtain laboratory
specimens, provide patient education and more.
Story by lynn leissler Photography by ezra marcos
winter 2018 | www.southernoregonmagazine.com 75
