“Best Friends of Nursing” – Entire Respiratory Therapy Team Named as Friends of Nursing for May 2018

Rather than simply listing an individual, Critical Care Nurse Kari Feringa and many others nominated an entire department, the respiratory therapy team, as Friends of Nursing. The Respiratory Therapy team was honored by nursing leadership at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s in May 2018. An excerpt from the nomination is below:

“I nominate our Respiratory Therapist patient care team, because to me they are the BEST FRIENDS of nursing.

“Our Respiratory Therapists, or RTS, are a vital part of the patient care team. Much of what they do is behind the scenes, and it’s this work that makes them an intricate and valued part of the team. From going on NICU transports from Mercy Health Muskegon to managing the ventilators on the Critical Care Unit, these little things add to their worth to make them a special and very important part of our patient care team.

“The education they provide to staff, families and patients is invaluable. Our RTs want to make sure that the patient understands what’s going on with their care. When I am precepting a new nurse, I make a point to ensure they know who the RTs are, and the knowledge they have. They are always willing to help and be a part of the team!

“As nurses, we thank them for their role on our patient care team and commend the job they are doing, as we nurses couldn’t do ours without them! Keep up the great work, my RT friends!”