October 7, 2024
Employee Spotlight: Lauren Puccio, Senior Physical Therapist
For more than ten years, Lauren Puccio has dedicated her career to improving the lives of pediatric patients through physical therapy at St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children. Starting as a student affiliate, Lauren quickly realized that St. Mary’s was where she wanted to make her mark. Eleven years later, she holds the title of Senior Inpatient Physical Therapist, and in 2023, she became a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. Lauren’s career at St. Mary’s is defined by her professional growth, unwavering commitment to patient care, and collaborative spirit with colleagues.
We had the opportunity to speak with Lauren about her experience as a therapist at St. Mary’s, her most rewarding moments, and a heartwarming story that will brighten anyone’s day.
Describe your career progression throughout your time here at St. Mary’s.
“I have worked at St. Mary’s for 11 years. I did my last student affiliation here and knew at the end that it was an environment I wanted to be a part of. I work in the inpatient hospital and the MDHC program, treating some after-school patients. Since 2017, I have been the Senior Inpatient Physical Therapist. This past year I took a Brain Injury certification course so I am now a Certified Brain Injury Specialist. I have participated in multiple projects and helped design the hospital’s Safe Patient Handling training program, and I am currently working with colleagues to enhance our Brain Injury program. Throughout my time at St. Mary’s, like any job, there have been highs and lows, but at the end of the day, the best part of my job is the patience. I want to work here because of them.”
In what ways do you collaborate with others in your organization/team?
“One of the great things about St. Mary’s is that, as an organization, we can collaborate with others to provide the best possible care for our patients. Whether it is a treatment with an OT or an SLP to target multiple goals and enhance a PT session or with nursing and respiratory to allow a child on a ventilator to experience something with their peers – without the other members, I wouldn’t be able to do my job the best way I can. There is collaboration between team members every day.”
What do you find most rewarding about working at St. Mary’s? Can you share a heartwarming story or memorable moment from your experience working with pediatric patients?
“The most rewarding part of my job is starting with a patient when they first arrive and seeing the progress they make in their rehabilitation. It’s amazing to see a child who needed help sitting up on their initial evaluation walk out the doors when discharged home. Even if walking is not the ultimate goal, all the little steps and milestones along the way are rewarding, and I know I am making a difference in this child’s life. It’s also great to see one of my patients who are excited to see me. Once, I was having one of those days where nothing seems to be going right, I was trying to run from one thing to another, getting calls to fix a wheelchair urgently as I was in the middle of something else. I was annoyed at the day and then unexpectedly saw one of my toddler patients walking with her teacher near our preschool. I saw her face light up when she saw me, and she excitedly called my name. It turned my day around. How could I still be in a bad mood after that?”
