One can never question Sister Mary Teresa Morris’ commitment to her nursing craft. She worked her way through St. Margaret School of Nursing as a nurse aide and surgical technician. She then earned an Associate of Arts in English from Donnelly College, her BSN from Missouri Northwest, and later a Masters in Adult Education at Pittsburgh State, and a Master of Public Health at St. Louis University.
All of that education has led her to experience nursing and patient care in a multitude of care settings. Known as Mary T. or “MT,” she has been with Supplemental Health Care since August of 2017, and she embodies the Care More spirit in everything she does.
“My favorite thing about nursing is having an opportunity to make the healthcare system work for a patient,” she explains. “In today’s terms, it is called patient advocacy. Nothing is ever out of reach. That is the spirit of nursing which St. Margaret School of Nursing inoculated within us!”
A very scary occurrence cemented just how far Sister Mary Teresa would go to advocate for the patients under her care.
While driving to her next patient visit, an oncoming car drove into her lane. To avoid a head-on collision, Sister Mary swerved toward the shoulder and ended up going into a ditch, where her car flipped and ended upside down. The other car apparently didn’t see what happened and kept on driving. Suspended by her seat belt, upside down in her vehicle, Sister Mary Teresa immediately phoned her Staffing Manager, Morgan Van Dyke, to inform her that she was not going to be able to see the rest of her patients that day. Her immediate concern was not for herself, but for those who relied on her home care visits.
Eventually, she was extricated from the vehicle and transported to the Emergency Department at the local hospital. Later, when Mary’s Staffing Manager and Area Manager arrived, they found her on a gurney in the ED with her work iPad open and on a cell phone coordinating coverage for her patients for the next few days that she would be out of work. As is typical of Mary T, throughout this entire ordeal, her only concern was for others, and she didn’t want anyone to make a fuss about her.
Contrary to her humble nature, the Care More Spotlight is shining directly on Sister Mary Teresa for her selfless dedication to those in her care. We feel very fortunate and proud to have her as part of the Supplemental Health Care team! Congratulations!
If you want to experience the Supplemental Health Care difference, contact one of our healthcare recruitment professionals today!
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