Why We Care – Katie

In our continuing series on keeping the care in patient care, we spoke with our Director of Nursing at the Topeka Surgery Center, Katie Renna. Katie manages the ins and outs of the surgery center, staffing, prepping for surgery, stocking, order, and doubles as a floor nurse floating through all areas of pre-op, inter-op, and post-op.

“When asked about the environment at Genstler, Katie shared: “Our staff is like family and we’re all involved in each others’ lives. We don’t really have turnover. It shows how much we love our positions and what we’re doing. That plays a big part in our care, too. 

“We focus on the person and the experience that they’re going to have when they’re here. We want to make sure that they’re comfortable, have good results, and are happy with their outcomes. And we try to schedule efficiently so our patients don’t have a lot of wait time. That can fill a patient with anxiety, just waiting.

“Every single day I work, there are at least a few patients that are nervous going in to have their eyes worked on. They’re putting their trust in us, so we’re very detailed about what we tell them and in the care we give. After working on the first eye in a cataract surgery, I hear, ‘That’s it? That was nothing! I lost sleep for a couple of days over that? The second eye will be a piece of cake!” On post-op calls I get responses from patients saying all the time they’re so happy with their outcome already and the care that they received.

“I can’t imagine not being able to see friends and loved ones’ faces. Sight is arguably the number one sense in the body. To work with patients who couldn’t see when they came in, and to give them sight again on the way out is really rewarding. We have some people who come out of significant vision loss and are crying because they can see again. It helps them have different, higher functioning lives in ways that they weren’t able to before.

“I have a need to be a nurse, take care of people, and make them feel comfortable. When it comes to taking care of peoples’ eyesight, we see people that have been hindered by vision loss emotionally, physically, and even spiritually. It is amazing to see what having a cataract removed can do to uplift a person.”

With questions or for more information contact Genstler Eye Center at (785) 273-8080.