I decided on surgical services nursing when I did my clinical rotation in nursing school. The appeal to me was the focus on one patient at the time, and the sense that although you come back the next day and start over again, there is a beginning and a resolution to the cases. I worked for another organization with Mayo Clinic urologists and was able to compare the work ethic and energy that they brought to the care of the patients, and how the concept of teamwork was not only a slogan but also a way of life. I joined Mayo as a staff nurse to team lead the surgical team. The sense of community and teamwork at Mayo is unique to this institution. As an employee I feel cared for, and in turn I am able to help deliver the best care for our patients.

Surgical Services chose me. I took a job in sterile processing, just to get a foot in the door of a hospital. Once I started, I realized how interesting all the instruments were and enjoyed hearing the operating room staff speak about the cases they did. The operating room gave me the opportunity to observe on many occasions, and I quickly fell in love. Once I earned my RN degree, I quickly and eagerly accepted a position in the operating room. I love the way it allows you to focus on one patient and give the best that you can to that one patient. What sets Mayo Clinic apart from other organizations is that the culture and atmosphere of the workplace is truly centered on the patients. Furthermore, to serve our patients better, most of my colleagues — nurses and technicians and assistants alike — are working toward advanced degrees. I can honestly say that I feel supported in the pursuit of education to advance patient care. Working at Mayo Clinic is life-changing because I am touching the lives of extremely sick families and my piece of the puzzle helps to get them back to normal. The collaboration between physicians and all other providers is life-changing — I never thought that medicine could be like this.

What initially drew me into Mayo Clinic is the tradition and respect the organization has in the field of health care. Every year, I would notice that Mayo Clinic is consistently at the top of the U.S. News & World Report best hospital rankings. I wasn't part of building that tradition, but I wanted to be part of a team where tradition matters. I truly believe that Mayo Clinic's value of "The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered" is what sets Mayo apart from other organizations. It was true when Dr. William Mayo said it back during the early days, and it's still true today. With today's health care challenges, Mayo Clinic has been able to strike a fine balance between providing efficient, cost-effective care while also keeping the best interest of the patient at the forefront. In addition, Mayo Clinic focuses on taking care of its employees because it realizes this will only help staff take better care of patients. It is very team-oriented here, and everyone works for the common goal of doing what's best for the patient. Staffing levels are optimal compared to other organizations I have worked at, and the infrastructure is in place for safe and effective care at all levels. Considering the amount of hours the average person spends at work, how many people do you know who both actually love their career and get the proper amount of support and commitment from the organization they work for? Probably not many, but I feel I can answer "yes" to both of those questions working at Mayo Clinic, which in my opinion makes it life-changing.

I decided on a career in Surgical Services because I viewed the operating room as a place where the mechanics of life-saving and life-changing procedures occurred. I wanted to be one of the people who worked to solve those problems — one of the people behind our patients' "Mayo miracles." Nursing at Mayo Clinic is special. Each of us is part of a community with a rich history, deep roots and a track record for excellent care. We have so many resources — informational, educational, patient-oriented — and, most importantly, people who will stop what they are doing to help someone else. This is an organization where people walking out of the building to go home will turn around and walk back into the building to give directions to a family member going to the ICU to visit a loved one for the first time. There are opportunities here that do not exist elsewhere in the surrounding communities or the world. I have been able to further my education and am in the final stages of earning a Ph.D. in nursing. I have been able to hold leadership roles that allowed me to build experience and expertise as a leader while continuing my education, and everything I have learned in those other roles has helped me in my current role as a Surgical Services nurse manager. It is possible to be caring and compassionate here in a way that might not be possible in another organization.

I was fascinated by surgery since I was a kid. In nursing school, I had the opportunity to watch a bypass open-heart surgery, which started my love for taking care of patients with cardiac problems. I was given the opportunity to attend Mayo School of Health Sciences' perioperative nursing fellowship in 2002, starting my incredible journey and career in Surgical Services. Mayo Clinic was my dream job as I went through my degree program. I believed that Mayo had the best technology and the brightest people working for them. I liked the idea of working for an organization known throughout the world for their outstanding care, where my skills could grow, and I could be part of the rich history of Mayo Clinic. We have the best people who have a common goal to meet the needs of the patient. I have never seen an organization where one value is held in such high regard by all employees. Every day, you see and hear this value throughout the organization. I have been given the opportunities to do more with my career than I ever thought I would. I never thought I would get a master's degree or be a nurse manager, but working with greatness promotes greatness and pushes you to do your best each and every day to accomplish the most difficult tasks or goals.