Evelyn Nevorski, a respiratory therapist at La Porte Hospital, spends her days helping people achieve the most essential activity needed to uphold life itself – breathing.
“When you think about it, if you can’t breathe, you physically cannot do anything else. Yet, we never really think about what it’s like to be able to breathe normally and easily,” Nevorski said. “Sometimes, we even take it for granted and don’t realize how blessed we are to do something as common as breathing.”
Nevorski first became intrigued by this field when she was studying at Purdue and attended a career fair, where she learned more about the respiratory program at Ivy Tech.
“Ivy Tech had nursing, but my older sister was a nurse, so I didn’t want to be that as well. They also had an X-ray technician program, but my other sister was an X-ray tech, so I couldn’t be that either,” Nevorski laughed. “But when I came across respiratory therapy, I was immediately interested since I had never heard of the field before.”
And as the saying goes, the rest was history. Since 1985, Nevorski has been working in the respiratory field.
“For me, the fact that I’m taking care of someone makes me truly love my work,” Nevorski said. “I’m a people person, and I always go about treating my patients the way I would want someone to treat me.”
Usually, patients encounter Nevorski due to extreme illness, anxiety, or other high-stress or complex diagnosis.
“I aim to make my patients forget about their worries during the time that I’m in their room treating them. If I can do that, then I know I did a good job,” Nevorski said. “Yes, it’s about treating their sickness, but it’s also about getting to know them as a person and touching on the human side of things.”
Nevorski reflected on the impact that her patients have had on her during her time at La Porte Hospital.
“I had a patient who would make me a birthday card every year that I’ll never forget. Often, they give back more to me than I think I give them, such as pointers on life that I keep with me. They oftentimes remind me why is it that I came to work that particular day.”
Nevorski treats patients who are experiencing a plethora of illnesses such as pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and others. She also gives pulmonary function tests every Tuesday for outpatients.
“I love the variety my job offers,” Nevorski said. “Every day is interesting, and I never know what’s going to happen. I also get to visit many areas of the hospital such as critical care, outpatient, even the ER sometimes. Most days I think I have a plan, but things happen, and it turns more interesting.”
Due to this persistent environment, Nevorski and her fellow colleagues have become a close-knit team working toward a common goal – serving the community.
“We are very supportive of one another, and it’s really like a family,” Nevorski said. “Everyone helps each other when they can and respects one another. This family is a big part of why I’ve been around for 28 years.”
In 2019, Nevorski was chosen as Colleague of the Year for her strong spirit of helpfulness and for being an advocate for her patients. Further, she was instrumental in obtaining a grant to provide education to patients with COPD and has worked with the American Lung Association to educate asthma patients.
Because of her years of experience and impressive track record, Nevorski also spends time at the hospital as a preceptor, serving as a role model and point person to student nurses, or new graduate nurses.
“I enjoy sharing my education with others when I can,” Nevorski said. “Even for me, I still consider myself to be a learner – I learn something new all of the time and I frequently ask questions.”
In her free time, Nevorski enjoys traveling, practicing yoga and Pilates, spending time with friends, and taking walks on the beach during the summer.
Nevorski hopes to retire from La Porte Hospital someday, and in the meantime, continue to serve her community.
“I want to make it known that we are always here for the community. No matter if there’s a name or location change, I want my patients and the community to know that we are here, and we aren’t going anywhere. We are going to give the best care we possibly can.”
For more information on La Porte Hospital, visit https://www.laportehealth.com/.
