Pat Green: 'An angel' among us

According to one former patient, now-retired nurse Pat Green is an angel who could never be replaced at Columbus Community Hospital.

Green has touched the lives of many patients throughout her career. As a registered nurse for more than 40 years, she has served patients in various care settings, but she found her calling in labor and delivery.

Shortly before retiring from Columbus Community Hospital’s maternal child health department in January 2024, Green received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates nurses’ extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care. The hospital is a proud DAISY Award Partner and recognizes one of its nurses with this special honor each quarter.

A former patient nominated Green for the award. In her nomination letter, the woman wrote that she was a recovering addict in the emergency room five weeks before her baby was due. Green noticed her erratic behavior and ran some tests. At the moment, the patient said, she hated Green for her actions. Eventually, she realized those actions not only saved her life and her baby’s life, but they also saved her family and marriage. She was extremely grateful and stopped what she was doing.

The same patient said she came into the hospital three weeks later when Green was on duty.

“I felt at peace,” the patient said. “I knew if she was around, I felt safe and protected both for me and my unborn child.”

The patient mentioned Green was there for her again after she gave birth and the baby could not breathe. The patient said her husband was amazed at how Green took over in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), doing everything she could to get their baby breathing again — and she accomplished it.

“She never judged me for choices I made while I was pregnant, and treated me with respect,” the patient wrote.

Green said she had previously been nominated for the award but never selected. As she reflected on this special day, she found herself speechless.

“Whenever you receive a thank you from a patient, it means a lot knowing that you’ve touched their lives, and for me, that is enough,” Green said. “I work with so many great people that I was surprised the committee selected me.” 

Now in retirement, Green said she couldn’t have imagined pursuing a career other than nursing — a wonderful and fulfilling profession.

“We’re a big family,” she said. “I worked with the same people for years, and some of my best friends are retired OB nurses. I’ve always said there are few jobs where you get to see a miracle every time you work. But as a labor and delivery nurse, we got to experience that miracle every day.”

Patients, visitors, nurses, doctors and staff can nominate a deserving nurse by filling out the “Nurse Nomination Form” on the hospital's website.

For more information about the DAISY Award, visit columbushosp.org.