Mackenzie Holdershaw exemplifies what it means to be a pediatric nurse at Children's Hospital of Colorado. Her upbeat bubbly personality brightens up every room she enters in the CICU. Her role as the resource RN in the CICU allows her to become acquainted with all the patients on the unit and she brings a big smile and positive energy into each room as she assists the bedside nurse. She makes an extra effort to stop by the rooms of our long-term patients and offer words of encouragement, support and play time. You will often catch her playing games, making silly faces and acting goofy (doing whatever it takes) to obtain a smile from our patients. No one on the unit has a better reaction to new milestones for our patients than Mackenzie. A patient walks for the first time after surgery and she is cheering them on as they move down the hallway. A family gets to hold their baby for the first time after surgery and she is there to congratulate the parents and emphasize the importance of the moment.
She is an excellent advocate for her patients and goes above and beyond to provide outstanding compassionate care. She takes extra time bathing her patients and helping them look more like kids and babies and less like hospital patients. Mackenzie always offers to help staff and families, no matter how big or small the request which is made of her.
Despite the intense environment of the CICU Mackenzie makes time for fun and promotes kids being kids. She is a fantastic team member who is very deserving of recognition for her hard work and dedication to the patients and families of the CICU.