“Mom” Finds a Home at UMass Memorial

Karen, a nursing resource specialist at UMass Memorial, had a nickname in 7th grade – her friends liked to call her “Mom.” It was a title of honor bestowed due to Karen's kind nature, ability to make people feel better, and her willingness to help those in need. Since then, Karen's gravitation toward nursing has been enriched by her own mother's best friend's nursing career, and her continuing interest coming to the aid of others.

Karen’s first job as a registered nurse was working on a cardiac floor. She had just graduated from a bachelor’s degree nursing program and her mentor advised her that working in an intensive care unit would, “write [her] a ticket to anywhere [she] wanted to go.” Her mentor’s advice, coupled with her outstanding success in fast-paced environments, made Karen the perfect person for a critical care unit. She joined UMass Memorial for its excellent reputation and work environment.

Inspiration is an important part of the job, and Karen is most inspired when a nurse she’s training understands the new materials and through that learning experience the student gains the tools to impact the lives of patients for years to come. Karen is also inspired by the employees selected for the New Graduate Nurse Residency Program, which is an exclusive program at UMass Memorial for newly graduated nurses with exceptional potential.

What Karen most appreciates about working in nursing professional development is the life balance her job allows and the variety of responsibilities her position brings.

One especially meaningful moment for Karen occurred after a particularly lengthy lesson on telemetry while orienting a new nurse. After struggling with the materials, the new nurse picked up an arrhythmia in a newborn that others might have missed. Karen was extremely proud that her teaching had touched the life of a new nurse and potentially saved a life in the process.

The advice Karen has for nurses interested in UMass Memorial is to get a great education and value the patient experience. She reminds prospective employees that there is no such thing as a wasted experience, and networking with other nurses is an important key to success.

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