Mary S. Fay Essence of Nursing Award Finalists
Mary Lou Powers, BSN, RN, Tower 12D, CCU
When it comes to her patients, no detail is too small to escape Mary Lou Powers.
"Mary Lou is an extraordinary patient advocate, knows everything about the patients in her care and remembers each and every detail even months after spending time with them," said Elazer Edelman, MD, PhD, FACC, of the Cardiovascular Division. "I look always to Mary Lou for the most insightful and careful patient evaluation, input on family dynamics and feedback on how treatment plans are progressing."
Powers, who has been a nurse at BWH since 1970, frequently cares for complex patients with multi-system problems who require acute, highly skilled clinical and psychological care. Her relationships with patients and families are long lasting, sometimes remaining even after transfer to another unit or rehab facility.
Powers' accountability extends to "every aspect of the care she provides, knowing every detail about the patients—how they tolerated a change in medication, activity level and ventilator setting," say her nominators. "She enters the room and speaks with the patient and family as though they are in her charge for a full 12-hour shift, even if it's only for lunch coverage."
In addition to attending to the complex critical care needs of patients, Powers ensures that basic physical needs are met, ensuring that patients get a bath everyday and shampoos are given, "the real way," with shampoo and water.
In her four decades of nursing, Powers "has seen the evolution of medical technology, but has never forgotten that somewhere underneath all of it is still a patient and a concerned family," said Paul Sedgwick, BSN, RN, CCRN, a NIC on 12D.
And in difficult situations, Powers takes a leadership role, maintaining a calm presence and mentoring staff. As a preceptor to new nurses, Powers whole-heartedly welcomes them to the unit and is committed to their professional development.
"Mary Lou has distinguished herself by consistently demonstrating the height of nursing professionalism through her calm, extremely knowledgeable and always compassionate care of patients," said James Kirshenbaum, MD, director of Inpatient Cardiology Services. "Whether guiding the young, often nervous medical house officer or assisting the more seasoned cardiac faculty, she invariably provides a mature, reasoned, medically sophisticated set of recommendations for the optimal care of her patients."
Powers earned a diploma in Nursing from the Catherine Laboure School of Nursing and her BSN from Boston State College.
Mary Lou Powers was nominated by Tower 12's Kathleen Ryan Avery, MSN, RN, nurse educator, Karen Reilly, BSN, MBA, RN, nurse manager, Elizabeth Eagan-Bengston MS, RN, RCEP, assistant nurse manager, and Suzanne Lieberman, RN, NIC.