People of the U: Lourene Davis
Published on Monday, September 12, 2022
By: Ruth Cummins
In her role as nurse manager for the pre-anesthesia testing clinic, Lourene Davis and her team are watching out for many of the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s patients who are awaiting surgery.
They gather their medical history, on the alert for any needs or concerns that should be addressed before outpatient or inpatient procedures for patients who aren’t already hospitalized, or who didn’t arrive through the Emergency Department.
“They might need to see a cardiologist, or need their diabetes or blood pressure to be under control” before a procedure, Davis said. “We are a coordinating group to make sure that’s done.
“We help ensure that the patients are counseled for the day of surgery, or that there are minimal delays for surgery,” Davis said.
The team talks to upward of 100 patients a day. “We have 10 full-time registered nurses and one part-time, and we have two nurse practitioners, a physician who is our medical director, three certified medical assistants and one patient scheduler,” she said.
They handle pre-anesthesia consults for five different clinics. “We get it done every day,” Davis said. “The goal is for them to come through this clinic, face to face or by phone.”
Davis has a long tenure with the Medical Center. At 19, she began working summers as a clerk until she entered nursing school. From there, she took a position in the adult intensive care unit. Davis moved out of state in the late 1980s, but life brought her back to Mississippi and UMMC in 2008.
Cheyne Robinson, chief certified registered nurse anesthetist in the Department of Anesthesiology, said Davis is the glue that holds pre-anesthesia together.
“Lourene is a definite jewel for our department,” Robinson said. “She is innovative, creative, and most of all, passionate about her work, her patients and her staff. Lourene is truly #UMMCStrong.”
The married mom of three adult children, Davis revels in her three grandchildren. “That would be my hobby right now,” she said of the three, all ages 2 and younger.
The Madison resident also enjoys working in her yard and rides herd over two dogs, a cat and an Amazon parrot. “He doesn’t say anything. He just whistles!”
Not just home, but UMMC is where her heart is, too.
“It’s the institution,” she said of the Medical Center. “It’s something that’s in your blood.”
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