Maree demonstrates the mission and values of Children’s Hospital Colorado each and every day as she interacts with co-workers, staff, infants and families in the NICU. Maree is always pleasant and easy to approach – despite working on nights! This is such an important attribute as it contributes to newer nurses being comfortable to ask Maree questions and seek nursing advice from her. She mentors newer nurses in family centered nursing care and uses our NIDCAP (Neonatal Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program) as the foundation for her work with infants and for her work as a PRN nurse. Maree also mentors nurses in using SBAR as they communicate with the medical team and has been known to give a gentle reminder to nurses who may forget to use it!

Maree developed an algorithm for addressing fussiness, pain and agitation of the infants in the NICU and included evidence based nursing interventions to comfort the infant before jumping to medication. Helping families understand their infant’s cues and knowing ways to help their infant to settle is also part of Maree’s work. She is a nurse who extraordinarily exemplifies the discipline of professional nurse as she cares for infants in the NICU.

Maree works straight nights so that she can attend Regis University to further her education. She has been involved in many evidence based practice initiates, including the Pain Resource Nurse (PRN). She is also a mother, a comrade for developmentally supportive care and a compassionate nurse who is worthy of receiving this award.