PATI RICHARDSON, RN

Pati Richardson has been an RN since 1971 and worked in a variety of hospital positions for the first twelve years of her career. In 1983 she joined Lifeline Homecare Services, the first Oklahoma based home infusion company. It was during the seven years she worked at LHS that she began caring for cystic fibrosis patients. When LHS closed in 1990 she went to work as the branch manager for Intravenous Homecare where she continued to care for the CF patients with whom she had developed close relationships. Over the next six years, through mergers and acquisitions, she continued caring for the CF patients as the director of the cystic fibrosis program for Intravenous Homecare/HealthInfusion/Coram Healthcare. In 1996, she began working for a new branch of American Home Patient as the Director of Chronic Care Services, again caring for the patients that had followed her from the beginning of their relationships. By the end of 1997, American Home Patient decided that the cystic fibrosis business was not profitable and did away with the CF program and Pati's job. Shortly thereafter, Linda Jenson and Pati started CF Solutions, Inc. Pati is hopeful that this will be the last job she will ever have, as it is definitely the best. The CF Solutions staff is another close-knit extended family. She loves what she does and continues to maintain long term CF patient and family relationships while continuing to develop new ones. Pati considers these patients her "kids" regardless of their age and they truly are part of one big CF family to her.

 

Pati is a member of the Sooner Chapter Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Board of Directors. She was the chairperson for the CFF Great Strides Walk for six consecutive years, growing the event to the most profitable single CFF fundraiser in Oklahoma. Pati has been a volunteer at the Tulsa Cystic Fibrosis Center since the early nineties where she continues to participate in the weekly CF Clinic held at the OU Tulsa Schusterman Center Clinic. She has attended the Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference for the past 18 years as well as multiple regional CF conferences.

 

Pati's professional expertise is in intravenous nursing. Her nursing skills are specialized in starting IV's, drawing blood and accessing venous access ports. Many of her patients won't let anyone else come near them with a needle unless absolutely necessary. You might say that these patients are "spoiled," for which Pati takes full responsibility. Rest assured that she has enjoyed every minute of the "spoiling" process.

 

Pati has two grown daughters, Amanda and Pennsy, who have developed many friendships with their mom's patients and families over the years. When asked if she has a child with CF, her response is, "No. If I did I wouldn't have time to do what I do for the rest of my kids."

 

In her free time, Pati enjoys decorating, doing arts and crafts, spending time with her daughters, socializing with friends and is a huge Missouri basketball fan. She loves cats, enjoys traveling and really loves her job. She has said that sometimes it just doesn't seem right to get paid for doing something that she enjoys so much!