McKnight’s names Carol Hulgan among Women of Distinction for 2020

Feb. 21 is National Caregivers Day, and Life Care wants to recognize Carol Hulgan, senior vice president of our Clinical Services department. She is a caregiver through and through, and we are proud that McKnight’s Long-Term Care News is honoring her for her caring heart.

On Feb. 20, McKnight’s announced its second annual class of Women of Distinction Hall of Honor, naming Carol among the 22 inductees. The Hall of Honor recognizes executive-level women who have made significant contributions to the senior living and skilled nursing fields.

Carol, a registered nurse, oversees the clinical functions and systems of Life Care’s 208 skilled nursing facilities nationwide. She has been with Life Care for 21 years, starting as assistant director of nursing at Life Care Center of Red Bank in Chattanooga. She has served in several nursing roles both at the facility level and at the corporate level.

“Carol Hulgan is the best example you will ever meet of a servant leader,” said Beecher Hunter, Life Care president. “She truly leads by example, and there is nothing she will not do for her team. Her motivation is simple: to love those she serves and those she leads. Personally and professionally, she is a Woman of Distinction to me. I daily admire the way she loves and gives of herself to make our company a better place for our residents and associates.”

Carol was nominated for her availability to associates, taking calls from the East Coast to Hawaii at any time of day, as well as for her support in rolling out changes in charting systems throughout the company. She has a big-picture view of clinical operations centered on resident care. She has left her home and family at a moment’s notice to drive through the night to offer on-site assistance to nursing facilities in Florida during a hurricane. While there, she has provided hands-on care to residents and supported associates as they weathered the storm.

Another example of Carol’s dedication to her team is when a clinical associate suffered a tragic personal loss. Hulgan canceled an entire week of travel plans to stay in the corporate office, providing direct support to the team and personal support to the grieving associate.

Even outside of work, Carol has demonstrated the compassion of a true nurse. She has provided emergency care while on vacation at Disney World several times, including helping a lady who was having a seizure coming off the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. A Disney park’s manager actually recognized her for her assistance and unsuccessfully offered her a job.

“I feel truly honored!” said Carol. “The fact that the people I work with thought enough to nominate me means more to me than I can ever say. I love this company, our residents and our associates!”