MaryD Alessandro

It is with great honor that I nominate Mary D’Alessandro. Mary has worked in many different capacities in surgery here at Florida Hospital, and in every role Mary show a level of caring that is unmatched.
Mary is always giving 110% to her patients and her team.

One day Mary had a patient whose surgery was canceled late in the day. The patient and family were quite upset. Mary approached that family and patient with an open heart and open mind. Mary apologized, ensured they would be first on the schedule the next morning, and got them all dinner. Mary acts quickly, and always from a place of caring. She swings into action with a caring energy that makes everyone feel safe and happy-and she has that effect on everyone who is lucky enough to be come across her.

Another time, a child was supposed to have surgery, and was going to be delayed. Mary moved things around, skipped her own break, and took care of the child herself to ensure the case went as soon as possible. Within a couple of minutes, Mary had that child laughing instead of crying and the parents relaxed and happy.

Just the other day, Mary heard that a patient had been left NPO (nothing by mouth), even though he was not going to surgery for at least fifteen hours. That patient was not Mary’s, but her concern propelled her into action. She called the charge nurse on the floor-and because Mary always communicates from a place of real caring, she was friendly and non-threatening to the nurse. That nurse got on board, and that patient got food in his belly, which relaxed him. Mary catches patients and families who fall through the cracks. She is virtual cement, and we are so lucky to have her here at Florida Hospital.

Even though Mary’s job is all consuming, I have seen her on multiple occasions walk an anxious family to the surgical waiting room. She will also go find them a box of tissues. Then, as only Mary can do, she hugs the family, asks what else she can do and transfers her loving energy to them-and they smile. That is one of Mary’s many gifts.

It’s simple, Mary D’Alessandro lives her nursing. She is a nurse, she breathes healing, and she acts like the exemplary nurse-the one we all aspire to be. Mary makes me want to be a better person, and a better nurse-and in fact, when I am with Mary I am a better nurse and person.