TO GIVE
CONTACT
Back to Blog

In the spotlight: Marlene Hanson

She may not enjoy being in the spotlight, but Emporia Presbyterian Manor’s wound care nurse, Marlene Hanson, deserves the attention as we recognize National Nursing Assistants Week this month.

As a licensed wound care nurse who was hired by PMMA almost 12 years ago, the staff around the community sing Marlene’s praises for the dedication she brings to her work and the compassion she shares with her patients.

“Marlene takes it personally if a wound won’t heal. She takes ownership of it and does everything in her power to find what will work for that resident,” said Leigh Ayers, health services director. “Her depth of knowledge is incredible, too. She doesn’t rely on what she learned 40 years ago. She is constantly doing research into the latest developments and thoughts on wound care and implements them.”

Debra Forshee, regional director of nursing for Emporia Presbyterian Manor, agrees.

“Marlene is one of the best wound nurses that we have, and the Emporia Presbyterian Manor residents get to benefit from her expertise!” Debra said. “For example, Marlene had a resident that had leg wounds that were very odiferous and not expected to heal. Marlene thought outside the box on how to treat the wounds and used a new product that not only took care of the odor but healed the wounds as well. Because of this, the resident and her daughter were able to spend quality time together before she passed away.”

Jeanne Gerstenkorn, senior VP of health and wellness, added, “Marlene truly puts the resident first in any care decision she makes. Her goal is for the resident to the have the highest quality of life.”

Marlene embodies the mission at the Manor, too.

“Her faith is very evident in her work. That solidifies her drive for our mission as a Christian organization,” said Caitie Stineman, human resource director. “Just this morning Marlene said something like, ‘We care not only for the whole in the person, but we care for the person as a whole.’ It’s not just the wounds she focuses on but the person’s entire well-being.”

Back to Blog