JoAnn Barrett '78
JoAnn Barrett '78 doesn't have to watch ER Thursday nights on NBC to get her fill of emergency medicine and drama. She lives it every day as a RN in the Emergency Department at University Hospitals of Cleveland. An ER nurse for 26 years, JoAnn was recently honored in May as one of The Plain Dealer's "Best of the Best" nurses in Northeast Ohio.
JoAnn was nominated by Peggy Parker whose 86 year-old mother was taken to the emergency room last year in May. Peggy said JoAnn's soft touch and humor made her mother feel comfortable. "JoAnn makes my mother feel safe, said Peggy. She quickly inserted an IV line and kept her entertained so that the needles didn't bother her. I've taken my mother to University's ER several times and feel we've been very lucky that JoAnn was there each time."
It is not unusual for JoAnn's concern for her patients to extend outside the hospital setting. "When JoAnn sees my mother at church, she always takes time to give her a hug and ask how she's feeling. She even calls her "mom." Her concern is one of the best forms of medicine that I can think of for an elderly person with Alzheimer's."
JoAnn said she first became interested in nursing at home. Her father was ill her entire life and because of that she was exposed to patient care at an early age. "I helped with my dad's care when I started middle school, said JoAnn. It never bothered me to help him through his illness, probably because I'm a pretty calm person."
When asked what she'd like her patients to know about ER nurses, she said that emergency medicine is varied and you have to be prepared on issues relating to diagnosis, disease, trauma, birth and death. "It's important to be culturally accepting, not judgmental or selfish. You have to get dirty and put yourself in situations that no one else would choose to be in."
To those thinking of entering the field, she describes it as challenging but rewarding. "It's not a walk in the park, it's very difficult. It has really become a lifestyle for me. Recently I was an advocate for my neighbor who passed away. You realize over time that you become a walking information book. It means a lot to me to help people through such life-changing situations."
Through the years, JoAnne has accumulated numerous memories from nursing. However, two memories, one happy and one sad, remain most vivid - the first time she saw a baby born and the day she took care of a patient who died alone, without family present.
Along with her nursing career, JoAnn balances home, marriage and motherhood. She and husband, Kirk, live in Cleveland Heights with their three children, Bridget, Brandon and Jeremy. She is also a volunteer at St. Ann's Church in Cleveland Heights where she provides regular blood pressure checks. She is a member of the church's choir and recently traveled to Italy to sing for the Pope in the Vatican. JoAnn credits her St. John and Ursuline education and her calming influence in the hectic environment of an emergency room for her most recent accolade.
