3 R’S FOR RN: RESPONSIVE, RELIABLE AND RESPONSIBLE
by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer
It is easy to see why Trisha Brown loves her job. She is the manager of the Birth, Labor and Delivery Center and NICU at Deaconess Hospital. She has been a nurse for 20 years but here at Deaconess for 3 years.
Brown became a nurse with the help of her mother’s influence. “My mother was a nurse and when I was a teenager, I spend my summers going to work with her, volunteering at the hospital. I fell in love with it and it was contagious. She was a geriatric nurse and I went to the other end of the spectrum, working with babies. I worked in McAlester, OK, Texas, Edmond Renaissance and Moore Medical Center. I’ve always worked in labor and delivery. I worked in McAlester in 1995 because there was a hiring freeze here. If you weren’t a nurse or a tech in a hospital here, you couldn’t get a job. I moved to McAlester and lived there about 6 years.”
“What do you consider your best quality as a nurse?” I ask. “I would have to say being compassionate to the patients, no matter what the situation might be.” Brown went to school at Redlands Community College in El Reno and is graduating in May from Southwestern with a Bachelor’s degree. This week, she is taking the National Certification exam on Inpatient Obstetrics. Asking Brown her opinion on what makes a good nurse, she is quick to reply. “Patient compassion and having a passion for what you are doing.” “How would others describe you?” “I am very responsive in emergency situations. I am a leader and an advocate for the medical field and nurses and patients,” she replies with a bit pride in her voice.
Brown reflects on what inspires her every day. “Seeing the process of implementing the changes that directly affect the patient care is important to me. With the improved results, we have satisfied patients, having good outcome, updating changed products; therefore, mindful of positive outlooks.”
“What advice would you give someone that was going into the medical field?” I ask Brown. “The medical field has lots of different areas and it is very versatile. There are so many areas you can choose from. Put your heart into it and go where you heart is invested,” she replies. “Follow your heart,” she adds.
“Describe yourself in 3 words,” I tell Brown. “I guess you could say the 3R’s,” she laughs. “Responsive, Reliable and Responsible,” she says. “Do you have any hobbies?” I ask Brown. “I have 4 kids so my hobby is my kids,” she says with a smile. “I have always enjoyed running but last year, I had some medical problems so I am just now getting back into running. It’s great exercise and it is a good release for me,” she replies. “It’s my quiet time too,” she adds. “What do you do for fun?” I ask. “I have a lot of great friends. I like to spend time with my family and my friends. Most of my family lives in Illinois so I usually travel to go see them.”
Asking Brown what her favorite thing about her job is, she replies, “I enjoy seeing my patients every day. I like the leadership rounds and I get to hear about how great the staff is and how skilled the nurses are. We hear positive feedback from our patients all the time. I work with some great people.”
“What is your typical day?” I ask Brown. “I get here pretty early. I make rounds, check on staff, take care of their needs, check with floor supervisor, check calendar, and do a lot of follow up. In fact, most of my time is spent doing follow up. We just got a new security system for our nursery unit. It is very nice, a state-of-the-art system. It’s called Hugs and Kisses and it features the safety between the mother and the baby. It bonds the mother and baby with a special relationship. Here at the NICU, we are constantly looking for new ways to improve our hospital to help our community.”
Brown ends with these words that she seems to live by, “My philosophy is that whether it be your first baby or your tenth baby, the mother has to have a good experience. It is a day that that a mother will remember for the rest of her life. I strive to be the best I can be.”
