Lorinda “Lori” Wendel of Parkside Health and Rehabilitation Center in DeLand was recognized as the Florida Health Care Association’s (FHCA) 2019 Licensed Practical Nurse of the Year. Wendel has been a nurse for two decades and brings a dedicated work ethic as the LPN Unit Manager at Parkside, where she has spent 6 years serving in instrumental roles ranging from wound care to charge nurse to direct care and unit manager. The award was presented during FHCA’s 2019 Excellence in Long Term Care Nursing Awards presentation held in St. Pete Beach.
Wendel is notably proactive; often stepping in to assist with admissions, medication distribution, at the front desk, and with staff orientation or monthly in-services. Wendel has impacted Parkside by reducing the center’s re-hospitalizations to just over 1% through the use of clinical pathways, safety nets, and treating residents in place. She has also helped improve resident outcomes with a patient-centered approach to care, reducing falls and lowering resident antipsychotic medication usage by 15%.
“From the moment she interviewed with our center, we knew she was special,” said Heather Jackson, Parkside administrator. “She has enriched the lives of our residents and improved our center’s outcomes since becoming a part of our team.”
“It’s clear Ms. Wendel goes above and beyond in her field, and Florida Health Care Association is proud to recognize her for all she does to improve the care of the residents at Parkside,” said Emmett Reed, executive director of FHCA.
FHCA’s Excellence in Long Term Care Nursing Award honorees reflect the dedication, professionalism, and expanded skill sets of the long term care nursing profession. The annual FHCA awards recognize individuals for their important roles in helping centers achieve continuous quality improvement by improving their national Quality Measures and demonstrating a person-centered care approach to residents and patients.