Interventional radiology: ‘We do unusual procedures no one in Iowa does’
Susan Jeffrey-Wheeler grew up taking care of older people.
“My grandmother helped raise me,” says Jeffrey-Wheeler, RN, staff nurse in interventional radiology. “As soon as I was old enough to drive, I was chauffeuring my grandmother’s friends to the restaurant at 4:30 in the afternoon.”
Jeffrey-Wheeler says growing up around older folks and caring for them inspired her health care career.
Stepping in to help
Caring for patients is a team effort on the interventional radiology unit.
“Susan noticed me rushing to gather some orange juice for a diabetic patient,” wrote a co-worker. “Susan immediately stopped what she was doing and quickly ran to grab a blood sugar reading. Her bedside manner is exceptional. She sets a prime example on how to treat every patient.”
Jeffrey-Wheeler was happy to help her team. She recalls that the patient hadn’t taken her diabetes medicine or eaten that morning.
“I worked with her to increase her blood sugar so we could get her procedure done,” she says. “Our entire team works together to give patients the best experience."
Home as a Hawkeye
Jeffrey-Wheeler spent the first part of her nursing career in Des Moines. When her husband was transferred to Iowa City 20 years ago, she was ecstatic.
“I’d always wanted to work at the University of Iowa,” she says. “We’d been season ticket holders for football and love the Hawkeyes.”
She has enjoyed the two decades she’s spent in interventional radiology at UI Health Care.
“We do unusual procedures no one else in the state does and we learn new things every day,” says Jeffrey-Wheeler. “I love helping patients feel better and improving their lives.”