I have had the pleasure of working with Mary over the last 4 years and I witness her daily compassion for patients and their families. As many might know, our unit can be quite challenging, yet Mary is the true definition of a team player; she is always willing to help out. It's not uncommon for Mary to go above and beyond to help a fellow coworker or do something special for a patient.
We had a patient on our unit that was toward the end of life and placed on comfort care. She has a large family who were always at the bedside, and Mary developed a connection with the patient and many family members. She made the patient smile and laugh, and the patient always looked forward to the shifts when Mary was working. Unfortunately, this patient was not able to go home to celebrate her birthday, so Mary helped bring the party to her! Mary showed up with a huge birthday balloon, a giant card that opened into a paper cake, a second birthday card, a stained-glass ornament with a lighthouse, a small stuffed dog that looked identical to the patient's dog, and a large fruit bowl for the family to share. Did I mention that Mary came in on her night off just to bring joy to this patient? She has also taken the time to visit with her while at Francis House. This is not the first time that Mary has come in on her time off to "make the day" for a patient. Mary is not only a great nurse, but a great human being. Every day, working with her, I witness just how much Mary cares about her patients. Thank you Mary!