DESCRIPTION: Maggie is one of the nurses in the NICU that time and again strives to do the very best that she can for the infants that she cares for. The NICU has “Care Team” members, groups of nurses that sign up to be with the same infant for the entire time that they stay in the NICU. Maggie is always signed on as a Care Team member, often for the sickest infants in the unit. She has helped many a parent through the ups and downs, joy and despair that come with a stay in the NICU. She is there for the infants and parents day after day, giving the families what they need. One day it may be to help grieve the loss of a twin, another day to share the joy of a baby taking its first feeding. Maggie is there for the duration. She goes out of her way for each and every family, calling the unit on her days off to check on a sick infant, picking up extra shifts to care for an infant or bringing in little gifts for a special occasion.

An extraordinary example of Maggie’s devotion involves a family that was discharged with an infant that needed special formula. The family didn’t realize when the baby’s formula was ordered through a pharmacy it would not be available immediately when they went to the pharmacy. One night, shortly after the baby was discharged, the family called saying that they were out of formula. Maggie spent a significant amount of time with the family and the pharmacy on the phone, trying to help them order the formula. She was able to get the formula delivered that next day, but the family still didn’t have enough formula for the night. Maggie obtained formula through the hospital and then after work drove to the town that they lived in and delivered enough formula to them so that the baby would have enough until the pharmacy delivery the next day. Maggie is one of the NICU’s shining stars, always going above and beyond the call of duty to help the NICU babies and families.