Mary Green
July 2021
Mary
Green
,
BSN, RN
Medical Intensive Care Unit
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Philadelphia
,
PA
United States
Now, most nurses would have given up, but not our Mary. Of course, she got permission to pick up this priest from his parish in her personal vehicle.
Every corner of the hospital has been affected by the COVID19 pandemic, but the MICU has been hit especially hard. Our nurses have had to support each other, our patients, and their families through the unimaginable over the past year. Mary Green, or Mother Mary as we affectionately call her, takes this role to another level. Whether making hot tea for staff, playing music during 1600 reassessments, or rolling up her sleeves to help with patient care, Mary is always there for her peers and her patients.
During a seemingly typical shift in the ICU, Mary turned an ordinary day into something extraordinary. One of our particularly sick COVID patients had been slowly, but continually, declining over several weeks despite her family's hopes. After an emotional meeting, the patient's family decided to not escalate care and asked for the Anointing of the Sick as a final measure. The patient’s nurses contacted the pastoral care department to arrange for a priest to visit. Unfortunately, our visiting priests were under quarantine, leaving the unit with an impossible task. Not one to back down from a challenge or disappoint a patient, Mary set to work. She called every Catholic parish within Philadelphia until she found an available priest. To make a challenging situation even harder, this particular priest could not drive.
Now, most nurses would have given up, but not our Mary. Of course, she got permission to pick up this priest from his parish in her personal vehicle. She got in her car and drove into North Philadelphia on her break to pick up the priest from the side of the road, yelling “Get in!” She hurried back to the hospital to provide for the patient. The priest spent the entire day filling the spiritual needs of the patient and her family. After the sacrament, she returned the priest to his parish. Sadly, the patient did not survive the night. Some people say that God works in mysterious ways, but I think He knew Mary would go above and beyond as she does on every shift. He made sure the most compassionate, determined, and selfless nurse could bring closure and comfort to this patient and their family. Mary Green is the epitome of what it means to be a DAISY Nurse.
During a seemingly typical shift in the ICU, Mary turned an ordinary day into something extraordinary. One of our particularly sick COVID patients had been slowly, but continually, declining over several weeks despite her family's hopes. After an emotional meeting, the patient's family decided to not escalate care and asked for the Anointing of the Sick as a final measure. The patient’s nurses contacted the pastoral care department to arrange for a priest to visit. Unfortunately, our visiting priests were under quarantine, leaving the unit with an impossible task. Not one to back down from a challenge or disappoint a patient, Mary set to work. She called every Catholic parish within Philadelphia until she found an available priest. To make a challenging situation even harder, this particular priest could not drive.
Now, most nurses would have given up, but not our Mary. Of course, she got permission to pick up this priest from his parish in her personal vehicle. She got in her car and drove into North Philadelphia on her break to pick up the priest from the side of the road, yelling “Get in!” She hurried back to the hospital to provide for the patient. The priest spent the entire day filling the spiritual needs of the patient and her family. After the sacrament, she returned the priest to his parish. Sadly, the patient did not survive the night. Some people say that God works in mysterious ways, but I think He knew Mary would go above and beyond as she does on every shift. He made sure the most compassionate, determined, and selfless nurse could bring closure and comfort to this patient and their family. Mary Green is the epitome of what it means to be a DAISY Nurse.