I have worked directly and indirectly with Marissa even before my employment here with YNHH. Through the years as a paramedic within New Haven County, I have brought patients to the ED, handing them off to Marissa as the receiving nurse. Marissa remains constant in her professionalism towards patient-centered care. She is always compassionate, showing the patients and families that during their time of need or crisis, they are and will remain a priority throughout their stay. Now that she is working as a flight paramedic with SkyHealth and even better knowing the policy and procedures set forth by the hospital, Marissa is a peer who can be trusted to uphold the standard of care for patients while ensuring compassion and empathy for all those she encounters.

Marissa has been a nurse here for approximately eight years; during that time, she has held multiple positions throughout the hospital. During her time in the Neonatal ICU, she was also pregnant, so she had a real connection with the families she would encounter every shift. One family she had a true connection with while caring for multiple premature neonates. Every shift, she would come in and spend time with those children and put the family at ease, knowing that their children are being greatly cared for during the most vulnerable stages of their lives. To this day, that family remains in contact with Marissa, giving her updates on how the children are flourishing in life and how her impact on their lives made a difference in their stay.

Marissa makes a difference every day, making her position within this system unique. She has been working in the ED for quite a while, now holding the position and title of trauma nurse, ED charge nurse, and navigator. This section calls for how she has made a significant difference for a single patient or family, but how can you quantify that difference for thousands of patients and families she has encountered and impacted throughout her years here? She has laughed, cried, and cared for individuals and families from all walks of life for so long in her role. The impact through that time is immeasurable and deserves recognition at the highest levels. There have been countless patient outcome courses that have changed in a positive direction for years when she catches something that may have been overlooked by another provider. Her presence in the ED is felt and acknowledged by her peers and the patients she cares for.