Carrie is the epitome of a compassionate caregiver and colleague

Carrie is the epitome of a compassionate caregiver and colleague. She puts her heart and soul into her work and always has empathy and compassion for others. What sets Carrie apart from others is her wholehearted compassion, ability to see people, both coworkers and patients, for who they are, to meet them where they are at, empathizing with the situation at hand. She has a true desire and dedication to help others and bring joy and positivity to the workplace. She sees people as the unique individuals they are, deserving of compassion and dignity. She goes the extra mile to make a difference in others’ lives and in the workplace. She has been described as the ‘Mary Poppins’ of GMU. Here are a few examples of her compassion in action:

• Carrie uses compassion and empathy to care for her patients and does everything in her power to advocate for them.
  • She had a patient who was homeless and learned the inadequacy of resources this patient would experience when leaving the hospital. Despite doing everything she could within the walls of the hospital, she felt a personal drive to do more for this population. She reached out to a Bronson physician she knew helps to lead a local organization aiming to bring medical practice to the streets. She now gives a portion of her time outside of work to this organization to further support the homeless population.
  • She had a sickle cell patient struggling with pain management. Feeling unsettled by the challenges these patients experience, Carrie took time outside of work to study articles of how-to better care for these patients who are often admitted to GMU experiencing some of the most difficult situations in their lives. She shared what she learned with her team, which included general pain management concepts for sickle cell patients, including non-pharmacological interventions. This is not only an example of compassion, but also of advocacy for her patients and peers.
• Carrie also empathizes with those she works with, going above and beyond to support them in moments of need. A coworker recently expressed the challenges she was experiencing financially while going back to school. Carrie brainstormed with her leaders and on how they could support this colleague.  They discussed available resources to share with this individual. Although this is one example, Carrie often seeks support/guidance from her leaders when she finds others in need.
• Carrie is a cheerleader for those around her. She works to give others encouraging words and meet people where that are at in their circumstances. For example, she has called her leaders during their recent transitions to share positive affirmations and encouragement.

Carrie serves as a GMU shared leadership rep and Magnet champion. In these roles she serves with eagerness and excitement. She is engaged and communicates with colleagues in a way that leads to mutual understanding and common vision. She uses professionalism in difficult conversations, finding common ground and positivity. As a Magnet Champion, she used creativity to engage others and share information. as a former teacher, she used her skills to create the Magnet board. She added artistic elements and concepts to include positive recognitions of others, shared stories of GMU nursing, and communicated critical Magnet information.