Title: Hospital Administrator, Nurse (Retired)
Company: University of Washington Hospitals
Location: Seattle, Washington, United States
Irma Goertzen, Retired Hospital Administrator at the University of Washington Hospitals, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives and Nurses for dedication, achievements, and leadership in hospital administration.
A respected voice in her community, Ms. Goertzen is renowned for her exceptional career tenure in the medical field. A former registered nurse, Ms. Goertzen broke barriers as she was the first woman in the country to lead a university as the administrator of University Hospital. In addition to this achievement, she had also worked as a director of nursing at the University of Washington Medical Center and Providence Hospital, now known as Providence Health and Services Washington. Additionally, she had excelled in the role of founder and hospital director for the Women’s Hospital.
Alongside her professional development, Ms. Goertzen is well known for having created a model of the women’s health unit, as well as for her in-depth research across various hospital administration and program needs. Likewise, after her retirement from the University of Washington, she was recruited to build a women’s center and a science center for women’s health in Pittsburgh. Impressed by her abilities, the government invited her to Russia where she contributed to building women’s centers and hospitals.
Notably, Ms. Goertzen has received recognition for her impressive efforts on a multitude of levels, as she was granted with two honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees. In addition to these academic achievements, Ms. Goertzen earned a Bachelor of Arts in nursing from the University of Washington. She later went on to achieve a Master of Arts in administration from the institution.
Looking back on her illustrious career, Ms. Goertzen attributes her success to her Christian values and her personal philosophy, which is to always help others no matter the problem. Since her youth, Ms. Goertzen had always wanted to be a nurse, but she could not explain the specific reason why this was her dream. She believes, perhaps, it was her destiny all along. Ms. Goertzen is currently in retirement and plans to remain aware of the advancements and achievements in the medical field, as well as offer her advice and guidance as a lifelong professional. With her new spare time, she hopes to spend more time with her four daughters, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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