Meghan Cargill
March 2024
Meghan
Cargill
,
RN
Cardiovascular Dept
Beverly Hospital
Beverly
,
MA
United States
Patients adore Meghan and I can't count how many times we hear patients asking for her when they come back to our unit. They often mail in long thoughtful letters about her exceptional care.
In the 15+ years of my nursing career, I have worked with some amazing nurses. Some of the most knowledgeable, caring, compassionate nurses. And as I sit here writing this nomination, I wonder why it took me so long to nominate one of them. Then I remembered that a DAISY Award is awarded to those extraordinary nurses. I have been fortunate to work alongside Meghan Cargill, a truly Extraordinary Nurse, for the past year and a half.
From day one, I knew she would be a great fit in the cardiovascular department. While trying to learn the complexities of our multidisciplinary unit, she was never shy about jumping right in and offering a helping hand. Even during the most chaotic of situations, she remains calm, quick and impressively organized. You know that if Meghan is working with you, you can breathe easy knowing she is by your side for support. Patients adore Meghan and I can't count how many times we hear patients asking for her when they come back to our unit. They often mail in long thoughtful letters about her exceptional care. She always greets with a smile and, often, a witty joke, which sets the tone for the patient (and staff) experience in the CV Suite. There have been a few shifts where I have had to stay late due to being on call for after hour cases. Meghan would do everything she could to help facilitate making sure you are more than prepared for these cases before her shift has come to an end. She frequently checks in to see how you are doing whether you are in a long, busy procedure, or a quick low acuity case. She also stocks the unit to the brim each shift like no other to make sure everyone is prepared and has what they need. She is a real team player.
This past November, I was fortunate enough to have Meghan as my nurse as I was a patient myself. It was a long 2 hour procedure that I was not sedated for and felt very vulnerable walking into. Being a patient in the department you work in is a little uncomfortable, to say the least, but Meghan has a way about her to make you feel at ease and distracted so you don’t focus so much on what is being done. After being a patient of Meg’s, I can see why patients send letters raving about her care.
***
Meghan is the epitome of a nurse. She is a true exemplar of who nurses should be. Meghan is smart and knowledgeable and takes every opportunity to pass her knowledge on not only to her patients but to her colleagues if they need help. She does so in a way that patients and colleagues understand, and she is patient enough to take the time to ensure her teaching is understood and that patient concerns are addressed well. She also continues to learn through her practice and on her own. As an already certified nurse, she went out of her way to obtain another certification to be as knowledgeable as possible to provide the best care to her patients. Learning was clearly the only motivation she needed as she will not receive any other incentives. Meghan is a nurse who constantly and consistently receives compliments from her patients for providing excellent care. However, she is not always recognized for it. This is a perfect opportunity for her to receive recognition for not only a job well done but continuing to set the bar for knowledge, caring, and compassion in her field. There isn’t only one situation that demonstrates this. Her daily practice as a nurse shows that she makes a difference in everyone’s lives, patients and colleagues.
From day one, I knew she would be a great fit in the cardiovascular department. While trying to learn the complexities of our multidisciplinary unit, she was never shy about jumping right in and offering a helping hand. Even during the most chaotic of situations, she remains calm, quick and impressively organized. You know that if Meghan is working with you, you can breathe easy knowing she is by your side for support. Patients adore Meghan and I can't count how many times we hear patients asking for her when they come back to our unit. They often mail in long thoughtful letters about her exceptional care. She always greets with a smile and, often, a witty joke, which sets the tone for the patient (and staff) experience in the CV Suite. There have been a few shifts where I have had to stay late due to being on call for after hour cases. Meghan would do everything she could to help facilitate making sure you are more than prepared for these cases before her shift has come to an end. She frequently checks in to see how you are doing whether you are in a long, busy procedure, or a quick low acuity case. She also stocks the unit to the brim each shift like no other to make sure everyone is prepared and has what they need. She is a real team player.
This past November, I was fortunate enough to have Meghan as my nurse as I was a patient myself. It was a long 2 hour procedure that I was not sedated for and felt very vulnerable walking into. Being a patient in the department you work in is a little uncomfortable, to say the least, but Meghan has a way about her to make you feel at ease and distracted so you don’t focus so much on what is being done. After being a patient of Meg’s, I can see why patients send letters raving about her care.
***
Meghan is the epitome of a nurse. She is a true exemplar of who nurses should be. Meghan is smart and knowledgeable and takes every opportunity to pass her knowledge on not only to her patients but to her colleagues if they need help. She does so in a way that patients and colleagues understand, and she is patient enough to take the time to ensure her teaching is understood and that patient concerns are addressed well. She also continues to learn through her practice and on her own. As an already certified nurse, she went out of her way to obtain another certification to be as knowledgeable as possible to provide the best care to her patients. Learning was clearly the only motivation she needed as she will not receive any other incentives. Meghan is a nurse who constantly and consistently receives compliments from her patients for providing excellent care. However, she is not always recognized for it. This is a perfect opportunity for her to receive recognition for not only a job well done but continuing to set the bar for knowledge, caring, and compassion in her field. There isn’t only one situation that demonstrates this. Her daily practice as a nurse shows that she makes a difference in everyone’s lives, patients and colleagues.