Mary Brown has stepped in and provided the department with a sense of relief, a feeling of trust, a feeling of mutual respect, and deep gratitude for stepping into the manager role. The Emergency Department went through many struggles at the onset and through the COVID-19 pandemic. We lost nurses to travel assignments and lost nurses to burnout. During this time, we also lost a wonderful manager. The fear, anxiety, fatigue, and frustration overwhelmed the staff, causing many more to leave. Mary has been one of our most valued and influential Emergency Department nurses and she stepped in when we needed her the most. She took over when staff morale was at an all-time low, travel nursing was at an all-time high, we were in a hospital-wide staffing crisis, and colleagues who remained through Covid were unsure about how things would function going forward. She has campaigned to make sure the staffing ratios were adequate, and she has encouraged the remaining fatigued staff to take time for themselves.

In addition, Mary supported both new staff and travelers and made them feel at home in their new workspace. Mary has done an absolutely outstanding job with forming an environment of teamwork among travel nurses and ED staff. She made the best of a bad situation and brought everyone closer as a result. Mary continues to remind us why we are here and that we are valued. She has seamlessly continued ED staff traditions such as holiday parties and Halloween costume contests with the colleagues who are present at the time to help boost teamwork and morale. Mary has also instituted a new patient belongings process to help track and keep belongings with their owners.  She has been integral in keeping patients safe and prioritizing our behavioral health program. 

Mary's positive disposition and attentiveness have helped our Emergency Department feel like a family again throughout all of the staff turnover and challenges.  Her familiar face and strong work ethic have given staff someone to trust in the leadership role.  She is visibly present not only for the staff but for the patients as well. Mary is always willing to help out when the department gets busy and educate us when we need a refresher. Mary is an exemplary nurse in every role.  She is an attentive bedside nurse, an engaged trauma coordinator, a knowledgeable charge nurse, and an involved interim manager. Mary is our advocate and motivation to stay and fight the COVID fight and be the nurses that we came to this department to be: enthusiastic caregivers, critical thinkers, and a close and compassionate team. There are no words to truly convey how grateful we are that Mary Brown has stepped up to help and save our Emergency Department. She is the definition of a Nurse-Leader in every way.