Nurses at Northern Light Mercy Hospital are highly skilled and show incredible strength, compassion, and resilience in their work. We can’t thank them enough for what they do every day for our care teams, patients, and the communities we serve. In observance of Nurses Week this year, our nurses reflected on their experiences. The following is a sample of their responses:
EMILY ANDERSON, RN, INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
The term “being a Mercy nurse” brings to mind a sense of community that is rare to find in a hospital setting. I feel as though working in this hospital gives me the time to provide truly individualized care to each of our patients. I also value my ability to play an active role in our hospital community, whether it’s as small as knowing peoples’ names as I walk down the hall or as big as changing policies to improve patient care.
MORGAN ROSS, RN, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Being a nurse is amazing. I know it’s what I am meant to do. Being a nurse at Mercy Hospital is a constant, affirmative reminder of why I chose this profession and continue to choose it every day. Mercy allows patients and their families a place to heal with resources that extend beyond medicine, exemplifying the true meaning of health care. As a nurse at Mercy, I am encouraged and supported in giving the highest quality care to all patients, including the most vulnerable in our communities. Staff in every department at Mercy Hospital have the same goal in mind—providing distinctive, compassionate care to make a lasting impact on the lives of everyone who comes through our doors. I am honored to be a part of such a dynamic interdisciplinary team that’s made up of individuals who show up, even on the most challenging days, and stand together through it all. It’s a team that encourages, supports, and inspires each other to provide exceptional care in every situation. I am forever thankful to be a part of this team, this family, this hospital, and this profession.
MADELINE BOUCHARD, RN, CLINICAL EDUCATION
The nursing profession has taken me on an incredible journey, most of which has been spent inside the walls of Mercy Hospital. I have had the privilege of working with many extraordinary nurses through the years. I began at Mercy with just one year of experience. From that time, I was always encouraged and supported by other nurses to get more involved to advance professionally. Today as a nurse educator, I reap the benefit of interacting with nurses throughout the hospital and can now pay forward all the support I received as a new nurse through my involvement in the training of new RNs. Mercy nurses exemplify empathy and reverence while maintaining the dignity of patients in their daily work. Although each department is different, the compassionate care provided by the nursing team is always at the forefront. I am proud to work alongside the nurses at Mercy Hospital.
SHELLY STUART, RN, GASTROENTEROLOGY CLINIC
“I’m scared” and “I’m worried” are things we hear every day in endoscopy. If the patient doesn’t say it out loud, it can be written all over their face when they come through the door. However, soon after they are greeted by a friendly, talented nurse, you can immediately see the tension start to melt away. The light conversation starts, then the routine questions infused with education follow. Suddenly, you can see the patient realize that they’re safe and it’s going to be okay. Endoscopy nurses work with physicians and technicians to create an atmosphere for an optimal experience. Our patients consistently comment on the caring, friendly, professional, and informative approach taken by our staff. The talent and skill of our nurses helps set a standard of excellence that surrounds our patients as they enter the unit.
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