New York native, wife and mother of two, Diane Gilewicz has been a part of WakeMed Rehabilitation Hospital for more than 30 years and serves currently as the Director of WakeMed’s Spinal Cord Injury Program. She began her career working on a medical surgical unit as a registered nurse before finding her passion for care and caring within the Rehab Hospital. From clinical nurse to nursing supervisor/educator to rehab nursing manager to director of rehab nursing services, Diane was led to rehab nursing early in her career.
“I consider myself blessed to have found my niche in nursing so early in my career. It was easy for me to see how the things I did and said as a rehab nurse could positively impact a patient’s life,” says Diane. “When patients come to rehab, regardless of their diagnosis, they have suffered an event that will forever change their lives. The role we have as their rehab nurse is instrumental in preparing them for this new life,” she continues.
Complementing her role as director of rehab nursing services, Diane is also the director of the Rehabilitation Hospital’s Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Specialty Program which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Because WakeMed is home to one of North Carolina’s six Level 1 Trauma Centers, the WakeMed spinal cord injury team offers a
level of comprehensive care unmatched by other facilities.
“At WakeMed, we recognize that a spinal cord injury is life-changing but not life-ending. We pride ourselves in helping our patients achieve their optimal independence and open new doors for them,” says Diane.
It’s that focus that has motivated Diane to grow the Spinal Cord Injury Specialty Program. Over the years, the program has increased in volume and expertise.
“When we first opened in 1989, patients from all of the various diagnostic groups were combined on one small unit. With increases in volume over time, we were able to develop a designated SCI team which later expanded to two teams. Then in 2013, we had the opportunity to expand once again allowing us to designate a unit for SCI specialty care,” she says.
As a specialty unit in the Rehab Hospital, the program offers adult, children and adolescent patients a private gym space, access to advanced rehab technology and specialized equipment, and private rooms as well as support groups, peer-to-peer programs and outpatient rehab programs. As the years have gone by, the program has had to adjust and work more efficiently as lengths of stays have decreased. This has been accomplished by creating a strong team that understands the benefits of reintegrating into the community as quickly as possible and works to engage patients and families early in their stay.
“I enjoy forming relationships with our patients and watching them improve over time,” says Diane. “I truly believe there is no more rewarding place to work than rehab and am amazed at how much the program has grown over the years. I feel honored to be a small part of such an incredible team.”
