Meet David

David Ferguson is a Director of Operations in our Fresenius Kidney Care East Division.  David started his career with Fresenius Kidney Care as a staff RN and has worked his way up to his current role as a Director of Operations.  Read on to learn how David has continued to grow and develop while having a positive impact on his patients.

LET’S HEAR WHAT DAVID HAD TO SAY:

Q: Why did you join the FMCNA team?

A: I left a job that I loved in the emergency department. I worked long shifts, nights, and weekends.  I felt like I was never at home with my children. When I did go home, I was utterly exhausted. I left to accept a job with Fresenius to enjoy shorter hours and get away from night shifts. This was better for me and for my family.

Q: How do you feel that your role is a “vital part” in supporting our patients and our company?

A: Absolutely! I started with Fresenius Kidney Care as a staff nurse and quickly discovered that the organization values all members of the team from the patient care technician to the bio-medical technician to the nurse, the interdisciplinary team members, and the management. We all play an important role in providing outstanding patient care and improving the quality of life for our patients.

Q: Describe an experience or feeling that stands out when thinking of your career with FMCNA.

A: I was worried about leaving the ER to join Fresenius Kidney Care. I wondered if I would be bored if the role would be monotonous if I would stop growing personally and professionally. After all, I loved my position as an ER nurse. It was exciting and rewarding and I was learning something new every day. I jumped ship and joined Fresenius Kidney Care for my family.

I wanted to spend more quality time with them instead of countless hours in the hospital. With Fresenius Kidney Care, I quickly found that this was the first organization I had ever worked for that I felt truly appreciated me and valued me as a member of the team. I studied and learned about this extremely unique branch of health care and realized that I could truly make a positive and lasting impact on the quality of life for our patients and their loved ones. In the ER, you had no follow-up.

You never knew if what you did make a difference or not. After you treated a patient, you may never see or hear from them again. At Fresenius Kidney Care, you follow your patient. You watch their health improve and you celebrate with them when they get to participate in special moments that would otherwise have not been possible without the dialysis team and the life-saving renal replacement therapy that we provide.

My patients have witnessed the birth of fourth and fifth-generation grandchildren, weddings, graduations, reunions, and so many other events. I even helped a patient arrange travel to Alaska to meet his grandchildren that he had never before seen in person. I’ve watched patients improve from being bedridden and in a nursing home to walking out of the nursing home, going back to work, and even getting married! Our patients come to us because they still have more life to live. We help them to get their lives back and to live their lives to their absolute fullest potential.

Q: Do you feel that you have a powerful effect in your role? If so, how?

A: I have the ability to impact the lives of hundreds of patients and their families in a positive way with my actions and decisions. I can also help inspire, motivate, and challenge many employees to perform at their very best for the good of our patients and our team.

Q: Have you experienced professional growth with personal meaning in your role? If so, how?

A: I began my career with Fresenius Kidney Care. I was promoted to the role of a clinical manager within my first two years and have since moved to the rank of Director of Operations. There are endless opportunities to grow and advance with Fresenius and to branch out in any direction you choose. Opportunities include leadership and management, quality improvement, education, clinical technology, regulatory affairs, etc., the list is endless!

Q: Do you feel you or your team/department leads, innovates, succeeds? If so, how?

A: Our team has been a leader within the organization in many different indicators. We have helped more patients achieve independence through home dialysis modalities than any other region in the US. We have piloted many programs and initiatives, been involved in research projects, and developed best practices that have been shared throughout the dialysis community. We work hand in hand with local transplant centers, emergency operations organizations, hospitals, and other health care providers as a leader in collaborative and cooperative care.

Q: Do you feel that your role allows you to be a partner in caring? If so, how?

A: Never before in my 30 plus year career have I felt more like a partner in caring than I do with Fresenius Kidney Care. I work closely with my patients, patient families, nephrologists, surgeons, and our partners throughout the healthcare continuum to provide the absolute best possible care and achieve industry-leading outcomes.

About Fresenius Medical Care

We have become a global leader in healthcare because of the unwavering dedication our people bring to work every day. Whether that means developing new-to-market dialysis technology or educating patients, our team touches the lives of more than 190,000 patients through innovative care and profound, personal connections.

With Fresenius Medical Care North America, you will “be the difference,” enabling patients to thrive, providing comfort to families, supporting coworkers so they can realize their goals, compelling our company to achieve through innovation and performance, and driving the development of your career.

Our team is made up of over 70,000 dedicated employees in North America. All of them focus on being the difference and delivering the highest-quality care to people with kidney disease – helping them to lead longer, better, and healthier lives.