Nurse Cathy Cromett Awarded
Perinatal Care Coordinator, Cathy Cromett, receives the 2010 Distinguished Nurse Award
May 2010
OHSU is proud to recognize the outstanding contributions of our 2010 Nurses of the Year. Among the honored recipients is our Perinatal Care Coordinator, Catherine Cromett, RN, MSN.
The Distinguished Nurse Award
Cathy is honored with the Distinguished Nurse Award. This award recognizes a nurse who has been in practice more than 15 years and has taken the lead through innovative leadership, fostering involvement in the profession, or forming and engaging partnerships within the community.
All who work with Cathy agree she is deserving of this honor; she is an example of nursing excellence in all that she does. She is an invaluable resource for our patients and a role model to all nurses.
A Lifeline for Patients
As our Perinatal Care Coordinator, Cathy’s role is logistically and emotionally challenging, as she assists families when there has been a potentially devastating diagnosis of a fetal anomaly. In the midst of what can be a very stressful situation, families can rely on Cathy to be a consistent go-to person who will ensure everything with their pregnancy and beyond will go as smoothly as possible – that all providers involved in their care at OHSU (for both mother and baby) will be ready to take care of them, that travel arrangements and stays at the Ronald McDonald house will be coordinated when necessary, that their primary care provider will be informed of their care plan, and that there is always someone here they can call with questions and concerns. She does it all with the utmost respect, professionalism, and care for our patients and is so wonderful to work with – she makes us all want to do our jobs better.
“Of all of the patients that Cathy has cared for flash through my mind, one story sticks out. A patient was referred to our clinic with multiple fetal anomalies, and we made the diagnosis of trisomy 18, a lethal condition. The family decided to continue the pregnancy, and Cathy met with them multiple times at their appointments and helped arrange for pre-delivery discussions with the neonatologists and delivery team to make sure their needs were met.
"After the delivery, I had the opportunity to watch not only Cathy’s face as she held the baby, but also the parents as they shared their joy in the child’s birth while dealing with the grief of knowing they would only have a limited time together. Although the baby died at home a few days later, I know Cathy’s support helped them prepare for this event and know hat they were not going through it alone. “
- Nicole Marshall, MD, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellow
All of us at OHSU and at the Center for Women's Health congratulate Cathy on this important recognition. We value her dedication and service to our patients and deeply appreciate her contributions to our care team.
