Not many people truly make a mark on their profession; even fewer do it within their first two years. Mary Patton Mann of Atlanta is one of those rare people.
Every year, Sigma Theta Tau International gives the New Member Pillar award to one person for exemplary volunteer service. Out of more than 1,800 nominees in 2011, the nursing honor society’s award went to Mann, RN, BSN, a nurse on a general surgery floor at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
“I was extremely honored to receive this award,” said Mann, who graduated from Mercer University’s Georgia Baptist College of Nursing in 2009. “It is wonderful to know that the profession of nursing can make such an impact.
“To be recognized for the impact that I have made in such a short time is humbling. I couldn’t have received this award without the support of the dean, faculty and other Pi Gamma [chapter] members at the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing.”
Mann describes her desire to work in health care career as “in-bred.” Her mother and father were pharmacists, another family member practiced medical law and an aunt was a nurse.
When she enrolled at the University of Georgia, Mann intended to become a doctor.
“I soon realized I was a people person and [I] switched to majoring in psychology,” she said. “My psychology degree helps me tremendously at the bedside. To be able to sit and listen and empathize is very big in our profession.”
After graduation, Mann enrolled in Mercer’s nursing school for its excellent reputation. She credits the faculty with not only preparing her to be a nurse, but with teaching her to be a leader.
“We believe very strongly that leading is part of what nurses need to do,” said Linda Streit, RN, DSN, dean of Mercer University’s nursing school. “A lot of nursing students just want to go to school and not do anything extra, but we encourage our students to get involved. Early on, we saw a dedication to volunteering and community service in Mary.”
Mann joined the Georgia Baptist Association of Nursing Students (GBANS) because she saw it as an opportunity to get to know her classmates and learn more about her profession.
“My professor, Jill Ray, pushed me and told me I’d be great in a leadership role,” said Mann, who served as president of GBANS for 18 months.
Mann traveled to state and national nursing conventions, voted on issues pertinent to student nurses and led community service projects.
“Once I stuck my arm out there and decided to go in that direction, I met lots of people,” she said. “It was a lot of extra work, but I’m glad that I did it. I learned that leadership is a major part of health care and it led me to want to do more.”
During her senior year, nursing faculty chose Mann for its first leadership internship and paid for her to attend the 2009 Sigma Theta Tau International convention. Mann, along with other top students in her class, was invited to join the honor society before graduation in 2009.
“It’s an honor to be invited and most people join, but it’s up to you what you make of it after that,” Mann said.
She is secretary of the Pi Gamma Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau and was team captain for the American Heart Association Walk in 2010.
Not surprisingly, she has carried her leadership skills into her job at Piedmont Hospital, where she cares for a wide variety of post-surgical patients. In addition to her nursing duties, Mann serves as her unit’s representative on the hospital’s Performance Improvement Council, which looks for ways to improve patient care. She is also a member of the Nurse Pharmacy Council.
“It can be stressful, but I love what I do and I just try to treat every day as a new day,” Mann said.
Mann was surprised when she won the New Member Pillar award, but Dean Streit was not.
“Mary was one of those who stepped up after graduation and took an active role in our chapter,” Streit said. “She understands that nursing is not a job where you punch a time clock and go home. You become a different person — and make an impact — based on what you give back.”
