Nurses touch people’s lives at a time when they need help and nurses need to have a great deal of compassion for their fellow human beings. Such is the case with Mary Berrian. She exemplifies the meaning of the word “nurse”, as well as the mission and core values of Englewood Home Health.

In the early morning hours, you will see Mary walking from Saint Cecilia’s church to start her day in home care. When she arrives at work, you can guarantee that everyone will be greeted with a warm “good morning.” Mary forgets no one. She always has a little gift for every staff member on their birthday and is our Santa Claus at Christmastime. She celebrates the first day of each season with boxes of donuts that she delivers to every floor in the agency, and she seems to always have a joke or two to share with you just when you need a good laugh.

Mary shows the same kindness and compassion to the patients and families she serves. She has gone above and beyond many times, giving of her own time to assist in picking up medication and groceries for patients. On one occasion, Mary stayed in a patient’s home in order to make him lunch. As another example, she made changes to her schedule in order to provide a late afternoon visit to a patient so that the daughter could be present for the visit.

Mary meets the needs of her patients not only by providing excellent nursing care but also paying close attention to the emotional and psychological needs of her patients. One example of this was when Mary called the mentally challenged son of one of her patients who was hospitalized to ensure that he was doing well and remained safe. She treats each patient as a human being who has a personality, a history, a time of good health and strength, value and dignity.

Mary is not only a nurse when she is on duty. She is a nurse in supermarkets, in restaurants at dinner with her family or friends - intervening and caring for total strangers who are in trouble. She is extraordinary!