Mary Margaret Smith
February 2015
Mary
Smith
,
RN
PICU
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Atlanta
,
GA
United States
Mary Margaret Smith started out in the Scottish Rite PICU as a tech, staying with the department when she earned her nursing degree.
"Mary Margaret truly loves her job and demonstrates the empathy, compassion, professionalism and gentleness required by the PICU team."
... Mary Margaret acted as the primary care nurse for a family with special needs; both parents were deaf and their infant spent more than 70 days in the department. Using an interpretive services device and sometimes even a pad of paper, Mary Margaret made sure this family understood their child's plan of care and could easily discuss questions and concerns. When it came time to withdraw support from the patient, Mary Margaret came in on her day off to be with the family. She was able to help the parents make their end-of-life wishes for their child come true, and provided them with an "empathetic, gentle presence".
Mary Margaret helped give this family and this child what they deserved: a passing full of love and dignity.
"Mary Margaret truly loves her job and demonstrates the empathy, compassion, professionalism and gentleness required by the PICU team."
... Mary Margaret acted as the primary care nurse for a family with special needs; both parents were deaf and their infant spent more than 70 days in the department. Using an interpretive services device and sometimes even a pad of paper, Mary Margaret made sure this family understood their child's plan of care and could easily discuss questions and concerns. When it came time to withdraw support from the patient, Mary Margaret came in on her day off to be with the family. She was able to help the parents make their end-of-life wishes for their child come true, and provided them with an "empathetic, gentle presence".
Mary Margaret helped give this family and this child what they deserved: a passing full of love and dignity.