Nursing Profile

Mary Jo Johnson, RN
WMC Cardiopulmonary Department

After 42 years as a nurse at Wyoming Medical Center, Mary Jo Johnson feels stronger than ever in her commitment to her patients.

“To me, excellence in care truly occurs at the bedside, where we provide hands-on care and comfort to patients and their families,” she says. “In nursing, these are the efforts that really make a difference.”

Mary Jo started out in the Intensive Care Unit and later worked in the Emergency Room. “I liked taking care of the trauma patients, especially head-injury patients in the rehabilitation stage, because I enjoyed the challenge of helping them function normally again,” she recalls.

Along the way, Mary Jo found a role model in Rose Branson, now one of the charge nurses in the Emergency Room. “She’s kind of the gold standard. As nurses go, nobody’s been at WMC as long as me, but she’s been there a long time,” she explains. “We worked together in Intensive Care when we were in our early 20s. She’s calm, cool and collected in emergent situations. She keeps things flowing. She’s in 10 places in once. She’s probably the most organized person I’ve ever worked with, and she’s so smart. She keeps up with current trends, and she’s reliable.”

Beyond co-workers, special moments buttress Mary Jo’s dedication. “In the critical-care areas you play a part in saving people’s lives, and I think that’s probably most satisfying. To have somebody come back 10 years later and thank you because you held their hand when they were afraid, to run into people on the street who remember you because of something you did for them – those are the things that make being a nurse worthwhile.