Courtney Miller, an Ortho/Neuro OR Manager with Intermountain Health, saves lives at the same hospital that once saved hers.
“I knew as a kid I wanted to do something in the medical field,” says Miller
In July 2007, at just 16 years old, Miller was diagnosed with a blood vessel malformation and needed brain surgery.
“The OR is very overwhelming — it’s bright, it’s big, there are scary-looking instruments and people you’ve never seen before. And as they brought me into the room, I remember staring at the ceiling and thinking, what is my outcome?”
While her vision of her future became blurry, clarity returned.
“It did solidify that this is what I want to do.”
Daily Nurse is proud to honor Miller as our Nurse of the Week for saving people’s lives in the place that saved hers.
From the outside looking in, Miller may seem like every other neurology and orthopedics nurse.
“As a kid, I heard my mom tell her stories of caring for patients and thought that was just the coolest thing — spending your life serving others.”
Growing up in the Beehive State, the vision of her future goals was clear from a young age. She pursued a career in nursing that eventually took her out of state, but after creating a family of her own, she realized it was time to head back to Utah.
“The first listing to show up was assistant nurse manager, ortho/neuro, Intermountain Medical Center,” Miller says. “And I was like, I think I’ve read that wrong.”
“In Courtney’s interview, we had this big panel, and she talked about how she had surgery at the medical center and how her life was saved, and all of us were just like, ‘Oh my gosh. She’s it,’” says Chantay Stringham, a registered nurse with Intermountain Health.
Miller was the person.
“We listen to patients. We try to understand where they’re coming from and help sympathize with them, but you can’t do it unless you’ve been in that situation. And it’s cool knowing that Courtney can do that,” Stringham says.
Today, Miller does what she loves — saving people’s lives in the place that saved hers.
“It’s hard to be a nurse but also rewarding,” Miller says. “I can’t imagine doing anything but being a nurse for the rest of my life.”
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
