As an Assistant Nurse Manager of the Women’s and Children’s Services of Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, it is not uncommon for me to receive positive feedback about one of our nurses. Now as the Nurse Manager of the NICU here at MSSN I have really seen, firsthand, the admiration and the reason one nurse’s name comes up repeatedly as being an extraordinary nurse. This is not only from physicians, experienced and new graduate nurses, and other hospital personnel but also from our patients and family members. This person is our mother/baby, NICU nurse, Lucy Wright-Brew, RN, CBC. Lucy is a knowledgeable, caring, and empathetic nurse. She intuitively assesses for the “what ifs” and questions and plans accordingly to ensure that the mothers and infants under her care are safe and receive the best possible care. Her initiative-taking style and critical thinking ability make her a favorite among our licensed practitioners. They know that she is competent and prepared for any type of emergency before it occurs. She is a dynamic role model and mentor for the new nurse and seasoned nurse as well as our students. She is the first to ask those ‘what and why’ questions and then follows up to help them build their knowledge of caring for mother and baby. She is optimistic, happy, and interested. This makes her easy to approach and ask questions of. Those ‘what if’ conversations keep our new mothers and vulnerable infants safe.

Patient safety may start with the patient at hand for Lucy, but her reflective, inquisitive nature leads her to evaluate care delivery for gaps in knowledge and practice that may impact the safety and well-being of the neonatal population. Not all preterm infants are the same and Lucy promotes individualization of care focused on the goals for each infant. Lucy’s initiative in care results in the tremendous outcomes we have for our patients. Lucy believes in collaboration, brainstorming, using evidence-based protocols, and speaking up. Not a day goes by that a parent does not approach her to answer questions and render advice for their family. Parents and families continuously send thank you cards, speak to leadership, and always offer a kind word of praise for the care they have received while they are in Lucy’s care.

Most recently a parent of an infant who was cared for by Lucy was at MSSN visiting a family member on another Unit and came to D3 to see Lucy and to share pictures of their now healthy child and again, thank her for the wonderful and safe care that they received by her. In early September we hosted the 2nd Annual NICU Family Reunion. One could see the excitement on the faces of the parents when they saw Lucy at the NICU Reunion. There were many hugs, tears, and picture-taking. No doubt Lucy has made such an impact on those families. Lucy has collaborated tirelessly with other members of the Women’s and Children’s Team to educate both staff and patients and their families on the best practices that ensure safe care. She is a wonderful addition to our Team and one that has been providing care to our community for many years. Lucy will continue to advocate for our patients focusing on individualizing care. She is truly characterized by accountability to herself and others and has a passion for our nursing practice. She definitely makes a difference in the lives of our patients, exemplifying selflessness, enthusiasm, and clinical excellence.