2015 Health Care Champions Critical Care/ICU Nurse: Jennifer Murray

For as long as she can remember, Jennifer Murray wanted to be a nurse.

Now, in the field more than 23 years, Murray made that dream happen through hard work and lots of training.

After receiving her licensed practical nurse certification, she helped veterans at the Harry Truman VA Hospital for three years, completing total patient care of 32 beds.

But a move to the University Hospital and Clinics at the University of Missouri is where she found her true passion in nursing — the neonatal intensive care unit.

“Early on in my career, I happened upon neonatal intensive care and fell in love,” she says.

“Although I have done several kinds of nursing, my passion is in the care of kids.”

After a brief stint with Carroll Regional Medical Center and Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co., Murray landed at Mercy Hospital Springfield’s neonatal intensive care unit in 1996, where she was promoted to assistant manager in 2008 and since 2012 has run the unit.

In addition to serving as nurse manager of the NICU, Murray is interim manager of the pediatric ICU and pediatric outpatient services. Between the three units she manages, there’s about 140 patient care associates, bedside nurses and educators.

“I am very much a servant leader for them, ensuring they have everything they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability,” she says. “I also coach and mentor the staff daily.

“My role in health care in the Ozarks is very much to ensure children of all ages receive the very best health care possible.”

Murray’s commitment to helping children led her to become heavily involved in Mercy Kids’ expansion of the neonatal unit, where she helped spearhead Phase II of the project.

“Working alongside the architects and construction team was a role not normally assumed by nurses,” said Dr. Melinda Slack, medical director for the nursery at Mercy Hospital Springfield. “Jennifer quickly understood the intricacies of the design and proved a valuable resource for the completion of this state-of-the-art facility.”

The Betty and Bobby Allison Neonatal Intensive Care Unit opened in December 2012 and Mercy wrapped Phase II in December 2014. The redesigned unit was made possible by a lead donation of $2.65 million by philanthropist Bobby Allison. The second phase expanded the number of beds to 46 from 27, and it also has two observation rooms and allowed Mercy to close its former NICU in the main hospital.

“With our unit being built in two phases and a management change right in the middle, it was ripe for difficulty and error,” Murray says. “However, because I was able to work with LeAnn Rens (former NICU manager), the changeover was seamless.

“I am proud to say I lead the Betty and Bobby Allison Neonatal ICU for Mercy Kids, Springfield.”

Murray advocates for children outside the hospital walls as well, traveling to Jefferson City to lobby the legislature and as an active member of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses.

“I do not settle, ever. I do not hesitate to speak my mind in a professional manner,” she says. “I will never compromise on the care of children.”