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Lisa Bloker, BSN, RN RN/Care Coordinator, Digestive Health Center Manager: Meagan Schuette Lisa Bloker is described as “the connector, the glue” that holds the esophageal team together. Her extraordinary knowledge of her patients means that she is often looked upon as a resource for residents, surgeons, and ancillary staff members to answer questions about patient histories, insurance status, and any social issues that need to be considered before, during, or after the patients' surgeries. As care coordinator for eight years, she is confident with the expertise of a seasoned veteran. As care coordinator, Lisa assists patients and families as they navigate through the OHSU health care system, and then coordinates discharge planning back to the patients’ referring providers and community. Lisa is instrumental to coordinating the service’s bi-weekly multidisciplinary care conference for esophageal malignancies. She develops educational material for the patients, teaches them preoperative care, and provides love, compassion, and understanding to each interaction. Lisa is involved in role development and process improvement, both with the Patient Care Team Model in the Digestive Health Center (which includes the phone operators, schedulers, medical assistants and nurse), as well as development of the new care coordination role for the ambulatory professional nurse. Lisa works closely with the ambulatory professional practice leader and other care coordinators within ambulatory care to ensure that nursing is involved with the planning phases of this important role. Lisa contributes to OHSU’s discovery mission through involvement in GERD research. She accompanies the patients to the OR when required to assist with interrogation of gastric stimulators, and follows patients in the ambulatory setting to determine success or failure of the procedure. Lisa helped to lead many attending physicians, residents, and fellows through the transition to Epic and OpTime electronic health records, with great willingness to teach how to use the system to its fullest. Lisa uses the professional nursing model to impact patient outcomes and is lauded for her abilities to work side by side with the medical model. The Clinical Care category is described as “a nurse who demonstrates excellence as a practitioner of direct care delivery in any clinical setting. This practitioner directs and manages care in a therapeutic manner to inspire others to transform, and to transform practice."
“My esophagectomy patients (I could name 50 of them) come to OHSU with one of the worst diagnoses in medicine, esophageal cancer, referred for one of the most morbid operations in medicine, esophagectomy. Needless to say, they are PETRIFIED when they walk into clinic with their families. Thanks to Lisa, and the whole DHC and Knight Cancer Center team, these patients leave the hospital 12 weeks later with a new life in front of them, most of the time. During these 12 weeks, and for 3-6 months beyond the 12 weeks of active therapy, they have a million needs and questions. Lisa – tirelessly – takes care of each one of them as if they were the only person in the world she has to worry about. When I see them in clinic, there is little for me to do, as Lisa has taken care of them so well. BRAVO!” John Hunter, MD Chair, Department of Surgery “Over the past 2 years, we have had a dinner, which precedes our annual Esophageal Cancer Research Retreat. Each time, multiple patients have come up to me and overtly commented on how grateful to Lisa they are, both before, during, after their immediate care by the multidisciplinary esophageal cancer team…Lisa Bloker is a gem to work with. She believes in the missions of OHSU and lives them every single day.” Charles R. Thomas, MD “She makes esophageal cancer treatment at OHSU work, and, amazingly, she makes it look easy.” Ken Gatter, MD “When I was a student I only envisioned my nursing career in one light - acute care nursing. I loved the feel of the hospital, the constantly changing environment, the never ending list of technical tasks and procedures, and the diverse patient population. I was young, energetic, and idealistic. For about 4 years I lived my dream until I suffered an on the job injury. After a lengthy recuperation, I was advised that it would be in my best interest medically to either leave nursing or find a position that didn't require lifting. I struggled with the decision but eventually accepted my current position within the Digestive Health Center. When I advised my peers of my decision, the reaction was one not of support and congratulations but one of disdain. Comments such as "So you're not going to be a real nurse any longer?" and "Why are you giving up nursing?" occurred so frequently that I actually started to believe them. How little did I know! My role as a Patient Care Coordinator has been more challenging and more rewarding than anything I ever could have imagined and over the last 8 years, I feel I've truly learned what it means to be a Nurse! I've been blessed to work with an amazing team of physicians and staff who have encouraged me to develop and define my nursing practice. Part of my role includes working with a multidisciplinary team that focuses on the care of patients with esophageal cancer. This is a patient population that I never thought I'd work closely with but I've found that I love it and can't imagine working anywhere else. Every day I am amazed at the strength and perseverance of our patients. Working with them is both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking and I can't help but feel honored to be a part of my patient's lives during this difficult time. To listen to their stories, their fears, their joys, to laugh with them and sometimes cry with them is a gift from God. They have taught me so much about life and living and I know I will ever be able to return what they've given to me. It is my hope that if I can ease some of their fear or make life a little easier by offering a word of reassurance, assistance with navigating a test or procedure, answering a few questions, or simply sharing a smile I might be giving some of what I've learned back to them. Working in Patient Care Coordination and ambulatory medicine may have never been my "dream job" but it is one I will be forever grateful for. I feel humbled and deeply honored to have been nominated and selected for this award. Thank you!” Lisa Bloker The Clinical Care category is described as “a nurse who demonstrates excellence as a practitioner of direct care delivery in any clinical setting. This practitioner directs and manages care in a therapeutic manner to inspire others to transform, and to transform practice."
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