11/12/2025
The first in her family to graduate from college, Lorinda Underwood decided to become a nurse after caring for her grandparents during their illnesses. “I felt a deep need to be someone who could provide compassionate care for those unable to care for themselves,” says Lorinda, who began her career in 2007 as a nurse intern at Henry Ford Health. “I once worried my outspokenness would be viewed as aggressive. Over time, I’ve learned how to channel that passion into advocacy for both patients and staff.”
Lorinda is now a nurse manager, overseeing a Level 2 trauma emergency department at Henry Ford Providence Southfield Hospital, along with bed management at Southfield and Henry Ford Providence Novi Hospital. She credits our organization’s sense of community and elite level of care as to why she’s stayed for almost 20 years. “It feels like family here,” she says. “I’ve seen the care provided – not just professionally but personally for my own family members. I always say, ‘If I didn’t trust the care being given, I wouldn’t work here.’”
She says she’s also been fortunate enough to witness incredible advancements throughout her career – increased tools, protocols and resources that improve safety while delivering high-quality care. And she’s inspired seeing the next generation of nurses use their voices to advocate for patients – exactly what Lorinda has been doing all these years. 💙
Her advice: “Be the kind of nurse you’d want caring for you or your loved ones. Once, when a patient passed away, his daughter turned to me and quietly asked, ‘What’s next?’ In that moment, everyone in the room looked to me for guidance and comfort. That experience reminded me of the profound impact we have — not just on patients, but on families during their most vulnerable times.” To join our dedicated nursing team, visit henryford.com/nursing
