Year of the Nurse Spotlight Gavin Brown

Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit Nurse Gavin Brown, RN, joined Bayhealth four years ago as a certified nursing assistant on 3East. Brown, who was pursuing his Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree at the time, says he would frequently pick up extra shifts on other units throughout the hospital in order to become a well-rounded CNA and to find his niche for when he became a registered nurse. “I found that niche when I began working shifts in the Medical ICU at Kent. I applied immediately and was hired to the Neurosurgical ICU when I graduated nursing school in December 2018,” he explained.

Brown says nursing was always his career goal due to family members who paved the way for him. “Nursing runs in the family and people like my grandmother, mother, sister, aunt, and especially my wife, have encouraged me to follow in their steps,” said Brown. “My wife is a nurse with her bachelor’s degree and works on the Medical ICU, which is a sister unit to the Neurosurgical ICU. She has encouraged and guided me through the process of being a new nurse these last few years. Working beside each other has been rewarding, as she has been able to share her knowledge and secrets with me.”

When asked what drives him and what he considers to be his nursing “superpower,” Brown said it’s his desire to provide the absolute best care for his patients and their families. “When patients come to the ICU, they are often at one of the roughest points in their life,” he said. “I want to help every patient and family understand their diagnosis and plan of care to help alleviate some of their stress. Being there to hold the hand of a patient or walk their loved one through an unfamiliar situation is gratifying to me.”

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