Eight registered nurses who serve in the emergency department at Taylorville Memorial Hospital received financial support from the Katie McCarty Nursing Excellence Fund to attend a trauma conference in Peoria.

Heather Alwerdt, Eldon Burch, Katelin Hadley, Rebecca McCauley, Casie Milner, Cassandra Peat, Lukas Schneider and Chad Stephens attended the 24th Annual Heart of Illinois AACN Spring Conference in March. The group received training in the treatment of trauma patients, specifically patients with blast injuries, chemical burns, electric shock and injuries from lightning.

“Continuing education and training is vital for our nurses, it allows them to stay current with evidence-based practices, which improve patient outcomes,” said Eli Heicher, chief nursing officer at Taylorville Memorial Hospital. “As a nurse, you can never stop learning, health care is always evolving and as nurses we must adapt in the same ways.”

Katie McCarty’s mother, Pam, established the Katie McCarty Nursing Excellence Fund through the Taylorville Memorial Foundation in memory of her 19-year-old daughter. Katie McCarty was a nursing school student when she was killed in a car accident in 2008.

The Katie McCarty Nursing Excellence Fund helps nurses further their education and attain professional certification.

“So many people in Taylorville have been touched by Katie’s story,” said Raedena Ryan, executive director of the Taylorville Memorial Foundation. “Thanks to Katie’s mother’s generous gift, Katie’s legacy continues.”

For more information about educational grants and scholarships available through the Taylorville Memorial Foundation, visit memorial.health/tmf or contact Ryan at 217-707-5271.

Organized in 1995, the Taylorville Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports Taylorville Memorial Hospital’s mission to improve lives and build stronger communities through better health.