Laurie Aloisio, RN, has been a hospice nurse for almost 25 years, and one of the original nurses of our UC Davis hospice program. She is equal parts rebel, ambassador, and entrepreneur, and she is changing the face of hospice at UC Davis. On Tuesday, June 4, Laurie was one of 39 people honored at the Employee Excellence Awards and Diversity Celebration Breakfast for demonstrating excellence on the job. Award recipients received a framed certificate and $1,000.

Laurie Aloisio, R.N.Laurie has always been a strong patient advocate; she has been the voice for many patients and families who could not speak on their own. She has always sought out the most difficult cases, those on the fringes of society, often with complex psychosocial issues, and also those patients with pain or symptoms that are most difficult to manage. Laurie thrives on challenge, and is never daunted by a schedule change, in order to meet the needs of her patients. Last month, she drove back early from San Francisco to cover a call shift that had suddenly opened due to another nurse’s illness.

Laurie teaches ELNEC, (End of Life Nursing Education Consortium) training, and excels at connecting with students and staff. She has the ability to take the module on Ethics and teach it in a way that is collaborative and interesting. She has provided in-service education to staff and volunteer inmates at Vacaville Prison for the last several years, and is sought out for training, because of her caring and compassionate voice for this population.

Laurie has been instrumental in changing the face of hospice at UC Davis.

Laurie has assumed responsibility for an Outreach Project, volunteering her time to research and present a draft proposal for Hospice and Palliative Care Consults. She realized that there were many patients that could use additional assistance who do not meet the criteria for hospice. An outpatient, pre-hospice consult service would provide education to patients and information on patient needs assessment, and become the foundation from which a Palliative Care Home Based Program could evolve. Laurie has also been paramount in Outreach Education, meeting with departments and nurses, to discuss ways that hospice might be helpful to their patients.

We commend Laurie on her compassion for the underserved, her collaboration for change, and her commitment to excellence.