Thanks for working here Thursday: Collie Evert, RN, CCMH Surgical Services

Campbell County Health is proud of its employees, and we want the CCH family and the Campbell County community to know about the good work that they do for this organization.

Say hello to Collie Evert, RN, who works as a Pre-Admissions Testing Nurse in the Campbell County Memorial Hospital Surgical Services Department. Collie has worked for CCH for 10 years; and most of those years have been in the Behavioral Health Services department—she recently transferred to Surgical Services. However, she’s worked in health care in some fashion since she was 19 years old. Collie worked as a computer programmer building and implementing hospital billing programs before she decided that she would rather work with people. She transitioned to being an office secretary for a hospice agency in Cody, Wyoming, and then to a registered pharmacy technician in Casper, Wyoming as she went through nursing school. She earned her Registered Nursing Degree from Casper College.

When Collie was a child, she started reading any health care book she could get her hands on in my grandmother’s home library. “My grandma finally hid all of them from me when I started not only diagnosing myself with everything in them, but the rest of the family, too. However, it was my mom who inspired me to be a nurse. She finished a year of nursing school before she quit to raise me and my brothers, but she never stopped taking care of everyone around her,” she says.

When she’s not at work, she loves to plant things and watch them grow year after year. In fact, spring is her favorite time of year because it is a reminder of growth and the gift of life. “I am happy doing anything outside. I love riding dirt bikes, playing tennis, running, decorating cakes, and cooking,” she says. However, she is also quite immersed in the life of her three boys ages 5, 15, and 16, and she spends many hours at baseball, singing, and restoring classic vehicles. “There are few things that make me happier than watching my boys be successful in what they enjoy. I also spend a great deal of time being the backup support for my husband (Doug) who coaches baseball and is a scoutmaster,” she says. Collie also said that her husband and her have made a career out of mentoring children, and have been foster parents for seven years. They were recently blessed with the opportunity to adopt their last foster child.

We asked Collie what she likes most about working at CCH and what excellence every day means to her. Check out her response:

“I truly enjoyed working in mental health when I felt like I could advocate for someone who hadn't yet learned the skills to advocate for themselves. It made my happy when a tear was replaced with a smile or hesitancy and fear was replaced with confidence and self-assurance. I have found that same satisfaction working in Surgery. It's a great feeling when a patient enters your office feeling scared and unsure, and leaves feeling informed and comfortable that the staff cares about seeing them safely through their procedure from start to finish. I have had great coworkers no matter where I have worked. They come to work every day putting their best foot forward and using the knowledge they have acquired to ensure to the best of their ability a positive outcome for every patient they encounter. They are always willing to help, uplift, and guide a patient or anyone who may need a little extra support.

Excellence every day means you put all your personal distractions aside, and give every individual you come in contact with your genuine and undivided attention. I want every patient I meet to feel like they are the most important person to me at that moment, and that I am doing everything I can to address their needs with compassion, empathy, and knowledge. I want to end my day knowing that I have implemented the golden rule and that I have given the same kind of care that I would want to receive.”

Collie, you’re an inspiration to all of us. Thanks for being a part of our team!

Is there a CCH employee who went the extra mile or shows you extraordinary service? Give them a pat on the back by completing an Excellence Every Day card.