Maeve Bognanno is the most extraordinary nurse I have the honor of working with. She is the ultimate patient advocate, a role model to all, and the healthcare professional we aspire to be. She is the feeling of home. Whether patients are petrified of a new diagnosis or a staff member needs help during a crisis, if Maeve is there, the clouds are clear. A patient's wife said, "Maeve has gone beyond typical nursing duties. The first day my husband was admitted for AML she talked through our fears and explained everything in Layman's terms. Even when she was not our nurse she stopped to say hello and check in."
Maeve cares for every patient as her own. She helped to initiate the transfer of a patient to a physician for a second opinion in Texas. She helped his mom think of/obtain everything they would need to make the transfer easiest considering his neutropenia and bleeding. Maeve looked at the big picture as to what was the best of them. She thought of what they would need on the airplane, how to get through the airport safely, what to bring to appointments, even obtaining a cushion so the patient would be comfortable sitting on a plane. Maeve is outstanding and skilled. Her explanations are so appreciated and she provides compassionate care on long chemo days. She has a great humor and is an awesome teacher for all. She is an invaluable nurse!
Maeve is not only an exceptional nurse but an extraordinary coworker. She created the Recognition Committee on 14 E Tower when morale was low. This allowed patients, families, and staff to acknowledge RNs for their hard work. She single-handedly took some of those cards and turned them into nominations for the 2018 Nurses' Week Ceremony. In years past, 14E has never had any nurses make it to this ceremony and this year she made sure all nominated would be there. She picked up a full load of patients so that 4 staff could leave and make it to the ceremony. She strived so hard to get everybody there. She graciously stayed back to attend to the majority of the unit. She too had been nominated, yet was the only one who could not be there.
I have become a better nurse working alongside Maeve. Her work ethic, diligence, and the way she leaves patients better than when she has come, pushes the rest of us to do more. She is an RN I would want to take care of my loved ones. I want to thank her for the incredible impact she made on our unit. She really makes a difference!