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Candidate Statement - Wes McMahan

Wes McMahan


Elected Experience: 1982, Randle, WA. Lewis County Fire Protection District #14 Commissioner and in 2007 Elected and Re-elected in 2011, Columbia County, OR. Columbia 911 Communications District Commissioner. 

Other Professional Experience: Registered Nurse for 27 years. I’ve been an Emergency Department Nurse and Trauma Program Coordinator at SJMC in Longview. I served as Cowlitz County Emergency Medical Services Program Manager. I worked 16 years at Oregon Health Sciences University in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. My specialty was Heart Transplant patients and artificial heart devices. I've taught emergency and critical care courses at two colleges. I currently work at Morton Hospital. 

Education: ADN Registered Nurse, International Honor Society PHI Theta Kappa. Certified Emergency Nurse, Certified Critical Care Nurse. Certified Medical Ethics Consultant and Ethics Fellow from OHSU’s Department of Ethics. 

Community Service: I’ve been a Firefighter, EMT, National SafeKids Chapter Co-Chair. Medical missions to under-developed countries with CardioStart International four times. 

Statement: East Lewis County deserves high quality medical and patient care. In fact, we should demand it. Morton Hospital has limited resources and capabilities. If you or a loved one has a medical emergency, the local ambulances must transport to Morton for treatment or stabilization before transfer to a hospital with higher capabilities. The initial care and timing of transport makes the difference between good or poor outcomes. Currently there is no consistent and timely means to transfer patients to other facilities.

I believe Morton has many dedicated professionals who provide great care with limited resources, held back only by misguided priorities of the administration. I do not feel an expensive name change was necessary. I do not feel the Administrator’s compensation needed to increase from $157,237 in 2015 to $311,043 in 2017.

It is the responsibility of the Board to be stewards of public funds and oversee the quality of healthcare provided. I will be just 1 of 5 Commissioners but I will work hard and advocate for high quality care and fiscal responsibility.

Simply put, as Commissioner, my goal is to improve the quality of healthcare in East Lewis County – for your family and mine.

Contact: (971) 506-8057, fordboat@gmail.com, 154 Ashfield Rd, Randle, WA 98377

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