Terry
Emge
October 2012
Terry
Emge
,
RN, CNOR, CRNFA
Operating Room (Cardiothoracic)
TidalHealth Peninsula Regional
Salisbury
,
MD
United States
The Unsung Hero of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Theresa "Terry" Emge, CRNFA is a true pioneer of cardiothoracic surgery. At 16 years old, she was the first assistant of Drs. N T and R H in the animal laboratory learning the intricacies of the heart-lung machine, a time before cardiac surgery was a specialty. She was the first assistant in Salisbury's first open heart surgery in 1974, a patient who underwent a pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. In 1976, she performed a mitral commisurotomy in a patient with mitral valve stenosis. She performed the first coronary bypass surgery, the first cardiac valve replacement, the first transmyocardial (TMR) laser surgery, the first Left Ventricular Assist Artificial Heart Implantation, the world's first Robotic TMR procedure, the world's first TMR plus injection of STEM cell/platelet rich plasma, and the list goes on.
Mrs. Emge is the "midas touch" CRNFA. It was because of surgical intuition in assistance that led to Dr. E K's first 100 successful open heart surgeries in the late 1970's without a single mortality. It was because of her gentle, precise accuracy that led Dr. N O to introduce the Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA) Bypass in the 1980's, a procedure which has stood the test of time as the "standard" in bypass surgery for the past 3 decades. It was because of her phenomenal understanding of cardiac valvular 3-dimension anatomy and physiology that led Dr. J T to successfully introduce complex valvular procedures to Salisbury, Maryland. It was because of her pioneering spirit of safe ingenuity that led Dr. K W in performing Salisbury's first TMR, artificial heart assist device, robotic coronary bypass as well as the world's first TMR and biologic injection. Almost everything Terry Emge touches in the open heart surgery operating rooms turns into "gold."
Terry is known as "Mama" in the open heart surgery rooms of PRMC. The reasons for this colloquial term are numerous, but all are endearing. When the surgeons have a "difficult case," they call for "Mama" to help. When the surgeons unexpectedly find themselves with a dying patient, they "call for Mama." When a new procedure is being introduced, the surgeons and team want "Mama" to assist. Because she scrubbed into more cases than any other cardiac surgeon in the State of Maryland, she has more experience than the surgeons themselves. The surgeons always ask her for her advice in the strategy of the operations. The team always asks her for her help in preparation for a case. "Mama" always brings an indescribable "easiness" and comfort with a procedure, a quality which is never discussed in operating rooms but paramount in the success of the operation. Mrs. Emge is known as "Mama" because she brings qualities to the operating room similar to a mother nurturing her children to bring out the best in them. Finally, one of the reasons why she is called "Mama" in the operating room is because she has been performing open heart surgery for more years than the Chief of Cardiothoracic surgery is old!
Terry's compassion for patients is endless and truly genuine. She greets every single, terrified open heart surgery patient with the most gentle compassion I've ever seen in a healthcare worker. She has an amazing gift of grace which kindly soothes these patients before the terrifying surgery they are about to undergo. She is inhumanly unassertive, objective, compassionate, unprejudiced, kind, and positive-spirited to every person with whom she interacts. Terry has never made a negative comment about a single patient despite self-indulging behavior, background, etc. She is truly a "saint" in the way she lives her life. In every occasion, Terry exemplifies true professionalism in every interaction with every patient and staff member.
Finally, Ms. Emge has been the work-horse of cardiothoracic surgery for the past 45 years. She has taken "call" every 3rd-5th night for 45 years, a period lasting longer than any surgeon has ever lasted in these operating rooms. She has the amazing physical stamina and resiliency to frequently work all day, through the night, and through the next day for 36 hours straight and still remain "sharp as a tack." In addition, she even comes in on her "night-off" for a difficult case in which the team is uncomfortable.
In summary, Terry's career is exemplary for a doctorate degree in nursing in terms of experience, dedication, knowledge, skill, leadership, and success. Her compassionate patient interaction skills are exemplary for the "Florence Nightingale Nurse of the Year" Award. Her team leadership skills are exemplary for a CEO's position. Her nurturing "Mama" skills are exemplary for the "Mother of the Year." In Mitch Albom's "Five People you Meet in Heaven," Terry has made such a positive impact in my life and in the lives of more than 13,000 patients undergoing heart surgery at PRMC, that I would say she will one of those five people we will all meet.
K W, M.D.
Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Peninsula Regional Medical Center
Theresa "Terry" Emge, CRNFA is a true pioneer of cardiothoracic surgery. At 16 years old, she was the first assistant of Drs. N T and R H in the animal laboratory learning the intricacies of the heart-lung machine, a time before cardiac surgery was a specialty. She was the first assistant in Salisbury's first open heart surgery in 1974, a patient who underwent a pericardiectomy for constrictive pericarditis. In 1976, she performed a mitral commisurotomy in a patient with mitral valve stenosis. She performed the first coronary bypass surgery, the first cardiac valve replacement, the first transmyocardial (TMR) laser surgery, the first Left Ventricular Assist Artificial Heart Implantation, the world's first Robotic TMR procedure, the world's first TMR plus injection of STEM cell/platelet rich plasma, and the list goes on.
Mrs. Emge is the "midas touch" CRNFA. It was because of surgical intuition in assistance that led to Dr. E K's first 100 successful open heart surgeries in the late 1970's without a single mortality. It was because of her gentle, precise accuracy that led Dr. N O to introduce the Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA) Bypass in the 1980's, a procedure which has stood the test of time as the "standard" in bypass surgery for the past 3 decades. It was because of her phenomenal understanding of cardiac valvular 3-dimension anatomy and physiology that led Dr. J T to successfully introduce complex valvular procedures to Salisbury, Maryland. It was because of her pioneering spirit of safe ingenuity that led Dr. K W in performing Salisbury's first TMR, artificial heart assist device, robotic coronary bypass as well as the world's first TMR and biologic injection. Almost everything Terry Emge touches in the open heart surgery operating rooms turns into "gold."
Terry is known as "Mama" in the open heart surgery rooms of PRMC. The reasons for this colloquial term are numerous, but all are endearing. When the surgeons have a "difficult case," they call for "Mama" to help. When the surgeons unexpectedly find themselves with a dying patient, they "call for Mama." When a new procedure is being introduced, the surgeons and team want "Mama" to assist. Because she scrubbed into more cases than any other cardiac surgeon in the State of Maryland, she has more experience than the surgeons themselves. The surgeons always ask her for her advice in the strategy of the operations. The team always asks her for her help in preparation for a case. "Mama" always brings an indescribable "easiness" and comfort with a procedure, a quality which is never discussed in operating rooms but paramount in the success of the operation. Mrs. Emge is known as "Mama" because she brings qualities to the operating room similar to a mother nurturing her children to bring out the best in them. Finally, one of the reasons why she is called "Mama" in the operating room is because she has been performing open heart surgery for more years than the Chief of Cardiothoracic surgery is old!
Terry's compassion for patients is endless and truly genuine. She greets every single, terrified open heart surgery patient with the most gentle compassion I've ever seen in a healthcare worker. She has an amazing gift of grace which kindly soothes these patients before the terrifying surgery they are about to undergo. She is inhumanly unassertive, objective, compassionate, unprejudiced, kind, and positive-spirited to every person with whom she interacts. Terry has never made a negative comment about a single patient despite self-indulging behavior, background, etc. She is truly a "saint" in the way she lives her life. In every occasion, Terry exemplifies true professionalism in every interaction with every patient and staff member.
Finally, Ms. Emge has been the work-horse of cardiothoracic surgery for the past 45 years. She has taken "call" every 3rd-5th night for 45 years, a period lasting longer than any surgeon has ever lasted in these operating rooms. She has the amazing physical stamina and resiliency to frequently work all day, through the night, and through the next day for 36 hours straight and still remain "sharp as a tack." In addition, she even comes in on her "night-off" for a difficult case in which the team is uncomfortable.
In summary, Terry's career is exemplary for a doctorate degree in nursing in terms of experience, dedication, knowledge, skill, leadership, and success. Her compassionate patient interaction skills are exemplary for the "Florence Nightingale Nurse of the Year" Award. Her team leadership skills are exemplary for a CEO's position. Her nurturing "Mama" skills are exemplary for the "Mother of the Year." In Mitch Albom's "Five People you Meet in Heaven," Terry has made such a positive impact in my life and in the lives of more than 13,000 patients undergoing heart surgery at PRMC, that I would say she will one of those five people we will all meet.
K W, M.D.
Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Peninsula Regional Medical Center