Fugere Announced As Employee of Quarter
Roosevelt Medical Center is proud to announce Zoe Fugere, a family nurse practitioner has been recognized as the Employee of the Quarter. Described as a huge-hearted and kind person, it is her dedication and genuine concern for patients, as well as her positive attitude that were highlighted as reasons staff selected her.
“Zoe is a huge asset to our facility. Patients like her because of her quiet, trusting, and patient nature. She aggressively advocates for her patients and the services we can provide them,” said Karla Hunter, the director of nursing.
Fugere joined RMC fulltime in 2015 after working at RMC as a traveling provider part-time for several years. She is part of the medical staff team and serves as the trauma medical director. She is also very supportive of facility and foundation sponsored events that take place outside of the facility.
“I enjoy working in a rural setting because I get to help my neighbors and friends. I can make a difference in my community and impact patients on a more personal level. I can also care for not only the patient, but potentially their entire family and that is important to me,” Fugere said.
Fugere became familiar with the medical field at a young age. Her father was an ultra-sound technologist for the U.S. Air Force and her mother managed a cardiology office. Her sister is a physical therapist. She credits her father’s encouragement and her first husband’s brain tumor for inspiring her to pursue a career in medicine.
Her experience with the medical professionals at Emory University Hospital led her to realize how important compassionate people were for helping patients and their families manage all the tough decisions and overwhelming emotions associated with terminal illness. “I hung on their every word, and I knew I wanted to be one of those people not only helping the patient but also helping the loved ones whose lives were turned upside down,” Fugere recalled. “During that time, those doctors and nurses were my lifeline and they inspired me to become that lifeline and inspiration for others in similar circumstances,” she added.
Prior to joining RMC as a full-time provider at RMC, she was employed at Daniel’s Memorial Healthcare Center, in Scobey. Born on Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, Fugere lived all over the world while growing up with her military family.
Fugere is a graduate from of the Family Nurse Practitioner program through the University of South Alabama, in Mobile and worked as a registered nurse prior to becoming an FNP. She has worked in interventional cardiology and intensive care units including open-heart, medical, surgical and trauma.
Staff will have until the end of September to make nominations for the next employee of the quarter. A new nomination committee will be selected at that time to ensure more staff and community members are able to have input in the decision- making process. This is an effort to keep the selection process fair.
