HOSPITAL: Vote for nurses

I’m a former Kootenai nurse and small business owner. I’m writing to express my support for Cynthia Clark and Liz Godbehere, two nurses running for the Kootenai Health Board of Trustees. This is a very important election: We have the chance to grow one of the best hospitals in the region or possibly the nation. We have incredible staff and facility, but need to shift corporate culture. In my opinion, this is because bedside nurses are underrepresented in higher level decision-making. We need to put the “community” back into our hospital! We can do this by leveraging the expertise of our “front-line” health care workers.

Who has the ability to know what is essential for a positive patient experience? A nurse, that’s who.

Yet, on a hospital board with seven members, there is not a single nurse.

I know Liz personally. She is smart, articulate, educated and can understand the business side of the system. She has a deep understanding of what makes the culture and practices work at Kootenai in reality, instead of theory. I trust Cynthia, an RN Army Veteran who is passionate about financial responsibility and patient-centered care.

If we trust nurses to care for our loved ones, we should put them in positions to guide Kootenai Health’s decision-making. A great health care experience comes from more than just certificates, slogans and published statistics; it comes from human connection and compassionate care!

I hope you’ll join me in voting on May 21. Let’s restore community-centered culture at our local hospital.

JONI KINDWALL-MOORE

Coeur d’Alene