Mary has worked at PPI for 12 years as a medication and treatment nurse. Mary explains she wanted to be a nurse since she was six years old and be able to take care of people. Mary has a cousin who is a nurse anesthetist, and always enjoyed listening to her stories. Mary states, “In 7th and 8th grade, I was a hospital volunteer at Holy Spirit Hospital. And for some reason, I always found it fascinating to read the medical books in our house.”
For someone starting a nursing career at PPI, Mary believes that we all bring something different to the table because of where we are in our lives. Our experiences and education are valuable in dealing with the different types of patients we encounter. “Fortunately, through the years at PPI, I have been very blessed to have had some excellent mentors, although many no longer work here. I asked a lot of questions in the beginning, and I’m sure I drove some of them crazy, but they were very patient and kind. I’m still learning every day and appreciate all my co-workers who share their knowledge and experiences.
Coming from mostly med-surg, with some long-term care and acute rehab nursing, being a psychiatric nurse was very different, almost like learning another language. It really helped me learn about another type of illness. I always had the mindset of medical issues and did not give much thought to mental illness. It brought me full circle to understand the person as a whole.”