As an emergency room nurse, it is often difficult to develop lasting relationships due to the brevity of our patients' stay in the department. But it is in the ED that lifesaving care begins. I have watched Mary Pat exude kindness, empathy, respect, and compassion on a daily basis. She has been a nurse for 40 years and carries the same conviction and enthusiasm as day one, in terms of advocating and caring for patients. Mary Pat remains vulnerable to hurt and loss by caring wholeheartedly for her patients. I have watched her hold countless hands of family members and also of individuals who are taking their last breath. I have seen her cry when she thought no one was watching. I have seen her "belly laugh" as she shared in another's joy. I have watched her work a 12-hour shift in a walking cast for a broken leg and she still took many extra painful steps to get coffee for an elderly woman.
I could go on and on about her selfless and kind acts. Mary Pat is a kind woman and an extraordinary nurse and coworker. She makes a difference in every day both at work and in the community.
I know she will continue to serve this community with a kind heart, open hands, and a ready spirit until her last day. This is her calling and she answers it readily.