“When things get tough, I want these people walking in to help. That’s what I thought when I interviewed at REACH—I saw the high caliber of people and the variety of things they got to do. Now that I am at REACH, I never know what I’ll be doing when I come to work, and I like that,” explains Gordon Worley about the job he loves.
Gordon’s late mother-in-law was a nurse and encouraged him to explore the profession. He served as an ER nurse for years. Today the inspired and inspiring REACH flight nurse passionately expands on and shares his knowledge with others as part of his personal mission.
Worley loves the feeling of freedom that flying gives, a feeling that springs from his upbringing. “I grew up in the outdoors, where we would get up in the morning, make a bologna sandwich and go out all day. We went camping, backpacking and climbing. Now I’m into wilderness medicine, which is medicine with minimal resources. It’s practiced in the wilderness or when you’re sailing or in the middle of the biggest city. Wherever you are, if you don’t have much to work with, that’s what I teach,” says the passionate outdoorsman and educator.
There’s more. Gordon takes what he learns from caring for REACH patients and evolves it to the benefit of the emergency medical services community. “I was involved with the care of several kids who had strokes. I learned a lot from caring for these patients and felt I had something to offer to my colleagues. I published an article to raise awareness and then developed a lecture I have since presented all over the country," he explains.
In his spare time Gordon donates his expertise to those in need. “I am part of a group that goes down to Baja to work with underserved people. It’s a great team,” he enthuses. Gordon also participated in the Katrina hurricane relief project in New Orleans.
Gordon Worley’s passion for life cannot be separated from his passion for his life’s work at REACH. “The company is very supportive of my interests. The clinical challenges make me think and learn and keep me current about the latest science. It’s exciting. And we get to play with helicopters. When we’re called, there is a real need for our services. I have a chance to provide something worthwhile, something really worth doing. We all have our piece of it. When we work together, it works. This is truly satisfying.”
