We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maria Magdalena Suska a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maria Magdalena , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I chose nursing as my career path because I have always enjoyed helping people. Nursing is one of the most respected professions. What I love about nursing is that it is constantly evolving; there are so many things that you can do in the profession, so you don’t have to stick to one specialty. If there is an area of interest that is not yet created, you can create it.
Knowing that my care, touch, voice, and time can help a patient make it through the night is one of the most rewarding feelings. Sometimes, it’s the little things that you do for your patient that make a difference. The nursing profession has opened so many doors for me. It has allowed me to become an author and run a successful non-profit organization that addresses the needs in my community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a Cardiology Nurse at Mercy Hospital in Miami, Florida. As a nurse, I have the privilege of helping others when they are the most vulnerable. I witness some of their greatest triumphs and their greatest defeats. There is nothing better than attending a birth, holding the hand of someone who is dying, or helping someone achieve a better life through improving their health. It is a legacy that will live on long after you are gone. The patients and families will remember your warm smile, your gentle touch, the knowledge you shared, and the fact that you cared for them.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
If I can walk away after my shift knowing that I have eased a person’s worry or fear and brought some sort of peace to them, then my day is fulfilled. And the best part of that is that I get many opportunities every day that I work.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Definitely gave me this wonderful opportunity coming from Poland to the USA.
