Gretchen Pearson, a registered nurse who provides care as part of St. Mary’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team, has received St. Mary’s systemwide DAISY Award for Nursing Excellence.

Pearson is a resident of Watkinsville who joined St. Mary’s in October 2020. She was nominated by a family member of a patient who needed mechanical thrombectomy to remove a blood clot from his lungs. Mechanical thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a flexible tube is threaded through the inside of blood vessels to remove large blood clots without the need for major surgery. 

“I needed answers, support and direction. She was able to extensively provide all three,” the family member writes. In particular, Pearson – who also has experience in St. Mary’s Interventional Radiology program – shared her deep knowledge of mechanical thrombectomy to help the family understand what was happening. “Gretchen is a firecracker and pulled everything together to get my [loved one] the help he needed when he needed it. God bless. Thank you, Gretchen!”

“Gretchen is a tremendous asset to our team and a relentless advocate for her patients. We are extremely proud of her and all of our DAISY Award recipients,” said Ann Gomes, St. Mary’s DAISY Award Committee coordinator and director of orthopedics at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens. “This award demonstrates the vital role nurses play not only as care providers at the bedside, but with families and colleagues as well. Congratulations, Gretchen!”