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For more than 40 years, Ms. Corley has committed her life to service, advocating for and providing high quality care to patients most in need. As with many young nurses who are trying to find their fit in the profession, Ms. Corley began her career working at several different hospitals, exploring a variety of fields in nursing, including Medicine, Orthopedics, ICU and Mental Health. After a few years, she accepted a staff nurse position at the Los Angeles County +University of Southern California Medical Center (LAC+USC MC). This decision was, in essence, a statement and confirmation of her values to use her skills and talents to serve under-served, low-income patients. Ms. Corley’s performance as a staff nurse was quickly recognized by leadership and she was promoted to Nursing Manager in Mental Health. In 1979, Ms. Corley made a significant transition in her career after being recognized by, well-respected hematologist, Cage Johnson, MD, while volunteering as a camp nurse for the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation. She accepted his offer to become the Adult Nurse Coordinator for one of 10 new federally funded National Institutes of Health Sickle Cell Centers. In this role, Ms. Corley was instrumental in helping to shape and define the role of adult sickle cell nurses in California and across the country. She has worked tirelessly to address the misconceptions and bias of providers to ensure the highest quality of care; empower patients and families to effectively manage their health, but also advocate for better treatment; and implement programs and services that are responsive to patient needs. During her 30 plus year tenure, Ms. Corley has been tapped consistently because of her knowledge of sickle cell disease, but equally important, her strong patient advocacy skills. She was responsible for organizing one of the first patient support groups in California, aimed at addressing the psycho-social issues associated with SCD disease. She was instrumental in launching the Stephanie Mulkey Annual Sickle Cell Seminar, a patient-centered workshop held annually in Southern California. Ms. Corley worked tirelessly to co-develop “Unveil Sickle Cell”, an annual month-long campaign to increase awareness of the disease in Los Angeles County. Her efforts have also resulted in the development of two important pain management tools for Sickle Cell patients that are being used by providers throughout the country. Finally, Ms. Corley chaired the Black History committee at her hospital that was responsible for developing a patient assistant program to assist Sickle Cell Disease patients with financial hardships. She has received many awards and distinctions over the course of her career. Recently, she was honored with the Elliott Vichinsky Health Care Provider Award for unparalleled dedication and unmatched performance and the SCDAA Pioneer Award recognizing her work in the Sickle Cell Community. Ms. Corley has shared her knowledge of the field with colleagues, presenting at local, state and international events and conferences. Some of those include the 5th Annual Brazilian Sickle cell conference in Mineas, Brazil; the California Statewide Sickle Cell Symposium and the National Association of Sickle Cell Disease Annual Conference, to name a few.
In 1979, Ms. Corley made a significant transition in her career after being recognized by, well-respected hematologist, Cage Johnson, MD, while volunteering as a camp nurse for the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation. She accepted his offer to become the Nurse Coordinator of one of 10 newly funded National Institutes of Health Sickle Cell Centers. In this role, she was instrumental in helping to shape and define the role of adult sickle cell nurses in California and across the country. Prior to her retirement she worked tirelessly to address the misconceptions and bias of providers and to ensure the highest quality of care; empower patients and families to effectively manage their health, but also advocate for better treatment; and implement programs and services that are responsive to patient needs. Pat’s greatest professional joy is the special relationships that she has developed with her patients andtheir families. Her commitment to patients carries over into her personal life as well. She continues to volunteer and participates in local health fairs and other events at churches and hospitals in her community. She has served on many committees including the National Institute of Health Focus Groups, International Association of Sickle Cell Nurses and Professional Associates (IASCNAPA), the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation’s Camp Committee and Transition Committee and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles Transition Group, Novartis Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee. Ms Corley continues to serve on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Sickle Cell Nurses and Professional Associates and as a consultant to other organizations. In 2015, She retired from her job and embarked on a community campaign with Cayenne Wellness Center and Axis Advocacy, two 501c Nonprofit organizations focused on improving outcomes for persons living with Sickle Cell Conditions. Her current scope of work centers around:

1.Identifying and addressing health disparities, inequities and injustices in the sickle cell community

2.Providing disease specific education to persons living with SCD and their significant others

3.Interfacing with and educating Health Care Providers about care, new medications, pain management and NIH guidelines for care of persons living with SCD

4.Development and implementation of needed resources

5.Advocating and lobbying for improved services on the local and national level

plc1sicklecellnurse@gmail.com

plcorley.cayennewellness@gmail.com

Phone: 310-480-9857

 

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