2006 Inspired Comfort Award Grand Prize Winner — Advanced Practice Nurse Category

Nomination

Recipient:	Margaret Hurley, RN 2006 Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award National Winner RN Category
Job Title:	Registered Nurse
Employer:	Southeast Georgia Health System, Camden Campus Saint Marys, GA
Nominated by:	Carolyn Roberts
Employer:	Southeast Georgia Health System Camden Campus
Title:	Nurse Manager Emergency Room

Peggy is working today! This statement brings a smile to the entire ER staff. You simply have to know Margaret — Peggy Hurley RN, she is the most caring, loving, "semi retired" nurse you will ever have the pleasure of meeting. Peggy came to Camden County in 2001 from New Mexico. She and her husband George bought a home on the river and made plans to retire to a life of sailing. However, once she had settled in, the call of her long time profession as a registered nurse kept ringing in her head. As a result, she applied to work with us PRN in the ER. Peggy came to us with years of ER experience, a heart of gold, the energy level of a teenager, and NO experience with computer documentation!
Although she has emphatically stated over and over again through the years she does not want to ever work full time again, that she and George are retired, she continues to come to work every time we call. Peggy loves being with the patients, loves the hands on care as well as the fast pace of a busy ER. Just watching her spend an extra minute with a patient to adjust a pillow, listen to a family member, or explain a basic nursing function to a frightened patient, reminds all of us why we went into nursing to begin with and empowers us with the desire to utilize our time better for the patient, not the computer!
Her presence lifts up the staff emotionally and somehow a busy day becomes much brighter.

In May of 2005, Denise, a full time RN in the ER was diagnosed with breast cancer. Denise faced a future of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. A mother with children at home and a husband in the military, she needed her full time job. The staff scrambled to try to cover all of her shifts, we helped her do paperwork for the Family Medical Leave Act, and we donated PTO time to her and prayed that all these efforts would hold out long enough for her to get through her long ordeal. The main objective was to hold her full time day shift spot without having to post her position as open. Peggy of course started to pick up a few scheduled shifts to help out, then one day came to me and told me she would work all of Denise's' schedule for the entire time she was out. Peggy worked full time for five months, three twelve hour shifts a week, every other weekend, including the scheduled holidays for her friend and co -worker. Peggy is a breast cancer survivor and felt the need to support her friend and other co -workers. As a breast cancer survivor and volunteer for the American Cancer Society during the Relay for Life, Peggy also provided Denise with much needed emotional support. Denise knew that Peggy was right there for her, holding the job for her, answering questions only someone who has experienced the disease process would understand, and showing the rest of the staff what it really means to step up to the plate and make a difference. Denise has since returned to us full time on the day shift. She and the rest of the staff here in the ER can never fully express to Peggy how thankful we are for her dedication and friendship. She exemplifies what it really means to be a nurse. Her actions clearly speak louder than any words anyone could verbalize or write down.

Today, Peggy travels to visit her new grandchildren, threatens us all on a daily basis to retire, yet continues to answer that telephone and say sure I will come in and help.

Please consider this special nurse for the 2006 Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award. Her sacrifice and the comfort she brought to a fellow nurse in a true time of need was a priceless gift. We have all learned a lesson from Peggy Hurley in what it truly means to be a nurse and a friend. We are forever thankful that she has chosen to work with us in her "retirement years.”

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