It was particularly poignant working on content for National Nurses Day because of
the bravery and sacrifice of nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic. I was
inspired by the colleagues I spoke with, and I wanted to share some of their
experiences and thoughts on the nursing profession.
“Never Been More
Proud”
In January, 2010, Margaret McKavitt, a captain in the
U.S. Naval Reserve, was stationed aboard the USNS Comfort Hospital Ship in
Haiti in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. For two straight weeks,
McKavitt, a Registered Nurse (RN) who is now part of the Trustmark Health Benefits’
Healthcare Management team, worked in the post-anesthesia unit while the
operating room ran 24/7.
A decade later, that same ship was docked in New York City as a result of
the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The hardest I worked as a nurse was in Haiti, and I don’t think it even
comes close to comparing to what the front-line nurses are seeing and dealing
with today,” McKavitt said.
Growing up, McKavitt admired her father, a retired Air Force reservist.
She set her sights on following in her father’s wings and joining the Air Force.
Until, that is, a handsome Midshipman caught her eye. McKavitt and her husband,
Tom (the handsome Midshipman), have been married for 36 years; for 27 of them,
she served in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Tom was a Naval Aviator; he served 24
years and retired as a Commander.
Even though she became a grandma for the second time on Friday, there is
still a part of her that wishes she was on duty.
“It’s been an unusual experience not to be on the front lines,” she said.
“I’ve always been extremely proud of my profession, but never more so than
right now.”
A Calling
Some nurses instinctively know what they want to be at a young age.
That was certainly the case for Suzann Chesek, an RN, and a Trustmark
Director of Case Management. She grew up idolizing her great aunt, Dot, who was
equal parts smart, spunk and compassion. Whether it was people or
animals, Chesek wanted to care for them. As a teenager, she started watching
the show, China Beach, and was enamored with nurse Colleen McMurphy,
the main character.
So much so that McMurphy was the subject of her college
admission essay at the University of Pennsylvania.
“McMurphy was the strongest, smartest and coolest nurse,”
Chesek said. “She really knew how to speak up for her patients. That was the
type of nurse I wanted to be.”
After close to two decades as an ICU nurse and house
administrator at a hospital, Chesek joined Trustmark.
“I still want to
care for people and appreciate the role and value we contribute in case
management,” she said.
Still, Chesek is determined to do even more. She just
applied for an as-needed nursing position on select weekends and evenings at
her old hospital to provide assistance for staff during COVID-19.
All That And a Litter of
Puppies
Amanda Killian, an Associate HR Business Partner at Trustmark, marvels at
what her friend Rebecca packs into each day. Rebecca works 12-hour shifts
taking care of ICU and COVID-19 patients. In addition, she is raising her
14-year-old and her almost one-year old.
In April, the family dog gave birth to a litter of French Bulldog
puppies. And get this, they are currently raising and training … all ten
puppies
Killian reports that Rebecca does it all with a genuine smile on her
face.
“She sets quite an example for her
kids of hard work, dedication and passion,” Killian said.
Nurses Care
There is a saying in nursing circles that, “nurse is just
another word to describe a person strong enough to tolerate everything and soft
enough to understand everyone.”
Nurses care deeply for patients and make
lasting impressions on them.
“People never forget when you help them in their darkest
moments,” said Diane Good, an RN and Case Manager at Trustmark. “We work long
hours, we hear the saddest of stories, we cry and we laugh. We have the best
job at Trustmark because we know we do our best to help patients and let them
know that they have someone that cares about them. People’s lives depend on
nurses. They depend on nurses to be at their best every day. That’s what nurses
do everywhere – they care.”
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