ACROSS THE aisle of the grocery store, 8-year-old Catherine Smith watched as a white-haired lady stretched her trembling hand toward a package of toilet paper before several rolls tumbled from the shelf and bounced silently to the floor. Desperation filled the older woman’s eyes. Without hesitating, Smith darted toward her and began gathering the rolls and restocking them neatly on the shelf. This simple act of kindness, and the appreciation that followed from a stranger, is a memory Smith still holds dear.
“I have had a love of taking care of people since I was very young,” Smith recalled. “I’ve been chasing after that feeling of reward that comes from serving others ever since.”
Smith is originally from the mountains of North Georgia and attended Shorter College, a small, private college where she double-majored in biology and chemistry. After graduation, she moved to Massachusetts, where she worked in medical research at Boston University Medical Center for several years. She knew a career in health care was what she wanted, but she was unsure which path to take.
“I took some nursing classes, which helped solidify a future career in nursing, and then I attended Vanderbilt’s BSNMSN program of study beginning in 2004,” Smith said.
The Vanderbilt University School of Nursing BSN-MSN program offers advanced clinical and leadership training across multiple specialties, preparing nurses for roles such as nurse practitioner, nurse-midwife, or informatics specialist, and is ranked among the top in the nation.
“I loved having the opportunity to care for patients and did well academically in nursing school. I’m thankful that most careers in health care do a great job with on-the-job training and don’t let you go until you’re ready. Once I built some confidence and was able to settle in, that joy and confirmation of my calling came.”
Smith began working at Lincoln Medical Center in Fayetteville, but 16 years ago, her career halted abruptly when her daughter was delivered by an emergency cesarean section at 32 weeks of gestation.
“We discovered our baby had hydrops fetalis and had less than a 5% chance of surviving. She spent two long, touch-and-go months on a ventilator at Vanderbilt Children’s, and then we were there another month before going home. She experienced a lack of oxygen at birth and now has cerebral palsy and is unable to walk or care for herself. I stayed home full time to take care of her and our other children for 14 years.”
While Smith dedicated her time to her daughter and family, her medical license expired. “I retook my boards to be able to reenter the workforce as a nurse practitioner. Vanderbilt-Bedford Wound Clinic had a position open for a PRN, which allows me to work part time and continue to stay home with my children part time. Having a quadriplegic daughter, I am always checking her skin for pressure-related wounds, and I had an interest in caring for similar patients. So, I dug in and learned all about different types of wounds and wound care. I received excellent on-the-job training from a podiatrist, vascular surgeon, dermatologist, and a plastic surgeon who rotates through the wound center. They work together to provide comprehensive care.”
In Latin, PRN translates to “pro re nata,” meaning “as needed.” Now that Smith’s family has expanded to include six children — three that were adopted, plus a daughter with profound needs, this flexibility is a godsend.
“No matter where I am, serving others and not focusing on myself always brings me joy and lightens my step and mood. Work is actually one of my happiest places to be, but even at home, to stay grounded and add joy, I take my children weekly to a local assisted living facility to serve there. They are catching a love for serving and a love for the elderly, too.”
The Wound Care Center at Vanderbilt-Bedford Hospital is located at 112 Airport Business Park Rd., Suite E. They offer advanced wound care, including treatments for diabetic ulcers, burns, pressure sores, and venous ulcers, among other wounds, and have specialists in plastic and vascular surgery.
“Wound care is such a rewarding field for people who love to actually see progress. Most of our patients come to the clinic weekly so that we can closely monitor the progress of their wounds until they are healed. During those visits, we measure their wounds to make sure they are getting smaller, and we adjust the treatment plan when they aren’t. These weekly visits allow us to see progress and really get to know our patients. By their last visit, most of our patients are hugging us and saying they will miss us!”
Smith continued, “Most patients come to the wound clinic in pain and with some level of apprehension about how painful the wound healing process is going to be. It is so rewarding to gain the trust of these patients and see them relax a little more with each visit and gain confidence and trust in us as their health care providers.”
From the time she was a child, Smith has always extended love — and a helping hand — easily, but caring for her quadriplegic daughter has left a profound impact on her that ripples into the lives of everyone she meets.
“I have a deeper level of compassion for suffering people, and when I care for hurting people, I know I’m making their days a little brighter.” GN
