Nurse of the Week Ann Marie Ramsey, FNP is the Queen of Advanced Practice Nurses in Michigan right now. On September 2, the pediatric ICU nurse received the state’s most prestigious nursing award, the 2021 Oakland University Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence®, in recognition for her outstanding work as an advanced practice nurse treating critically ill babies and children.
The FNP and pediatric NP began working with children with ventilation needs and neuromuscular disease as an otolaryngology nurse practitioner in 1992 and has continued to do so since 2003 as program coordinator at the renowned University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital.
At the ceremony, Ramsey received a $1,000 check, a Nightingale ceremonial pin, and an award in the shape of a bronze figure of Florence Nightingale holding a lamp (just a note for Lady With the Lamp merch people: FN would approve these statuettes, as they depict her holding a lamp with the flame under a protective cover, unlike the myriad fire-courting open-flame depictions).
Was Ramsey surprised by the honor? Oh, yes. She told her local paper, “I was honestly blown away when I found out. The award requires a nomination from a peer or a family of a patient, so it’s very humbling to know someone thinks I was worthy of this.” She added, “I think all nurses work incredibly hard, so to have somebody recognize their hard work is very special.”
But recognition and bling – while gratifying – is not high on Ramsey’s agenda. This pediatric NP spends most of her time as a bedside nurse and clinician on the ICU unit treating infants on ventilators, which like many nursing specialties requires massive reserves of compassion and emotional strength, plus the communication skills of a top psychologist for helping distraught parents cope with their worst fears.
Ramsey, like most outstanding leaders, stresses the fact that to be effective she needs the support of a top-notch, tightly-knit team. “The illnesses we deal with are so complicated and complex, it takes a lot of people to make sure the patient is getting the best care, especially when you’re working with babies. Along with nurses and doctors, our team includes social workers, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists — all of whom work as part of a multi-disciplinary team. I think it’s important to acknowledge how important it is that we are part of a team.”
Still, after almost 30 years in nursing, it’s nice to get a pat on the back – along with one’s name engraved on the base of a bronze, fire-safety-conscious Ms. Nightingale. As for Ramsey, this is her life’s work: “If you ask my family, they’d tell you I wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a little kid. I never really wanted to do anything else.”
For more on Ann Marie Ramsey, see her bio at Mott or visit the Northville local story. Click here for details on the Oakland University Nightingale Awards for Nursing Excellence®.
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