IU Health Bedford Emergency department tech knows being there makes a difference

Every day is different in an emergency department, but the need for support and advocacy from the healthcare team is constant.

Recent Being Excellent Everyday (BEE) Award winner RaeLeen Ellis is a tech in the Bedford Emergency department who’s dedicated to being there for her patients.

“We do make a difference in our patients' lives, even if it's only a warm blanket or glass of water,” she says. “Sometimes it's just listening to them.”

She does this in addition to her role in supporting registered nurses on the unit, which includes:

• Staying alert to patient needs
• Getting vitals
• Answering call lights
• Relaying important messages
• Assisting patients to the bathroom
• Performing CPR when needed

Throughout these duties, Ellis emphasizes the importance of developing trust with patients and advocating for them when they are unable to do so.

Her BEE Award nominations showcase the appreciation people have for these efforts, one of which says, “RaeLeen did an amazing job…being a health care HERO and truly advocating for a patient who could not advocate for themselves.”