Mary Morrow, RN, PhD, APRN, BC
Director of Nursing Administration
Why did you choose to leave bedside caring?
The beauty of nursing is that there are many different ways to be present with the people who seek our services. As a bedside nurse, I kept suggesting differentways to change processes and before I knew it I was asked to take on more responsibility. I have actually had various bedside/clinical nursing positions interspersed with more traditional managerial/leadership roles along my career path. I enjoy the variety of all the positions I have held and look forward to working with nurses and the multidisciplinary team as we strive to be ever accountable to the people served by nursing.
What do you like most about your job?
I enjoy the variety, the people, and the new learnings.
How many years have you been working at LUHS?
13.5 years
Where did you attend nursing school?
Loyola University Chicago (BSN, MSN in Cardiac Health and Disease Management, and PhD in Nursing).
My experience has been in cardiovascular/cardiology/heart failure, ortho/neuro/general surgical nursing and nursing management.
Where have you practiced nursing?
Rush University Medical Center, Chicago IL
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove, IL
Loyola University Health System, Maywood, IL
How do your nursing skills help in your administrative role?
Nursing truly develops one’s critical thinking and investigative skills. As an administrator one often has to dig deeper into the details and my experiences from nursing have been invaluable. I have always maintained that my administrative experiences have also changed the way I live nursing. My approach is different now that I have a new understanding of the lived experiences of healthcare from the patient/family perspective, the staff’s perspective as we co-created new ways of providing quality and safe patient care, as well as the perspective of our other partners in the business of health care. Understanding others’ experiences and the meaning they associate with those experiences can only enhance the healthcare experience for our patients and staff.
Did you receive any additional training or mentoring to help you succeed as an administrator?
I have had many superb nurse managers, directors, chief nurse executives, administrators, chaplains, peers, patients, physicians, and faculty that have mentored me over the years. Currently I am also involved in a two-year certificate program in health care leadership.