Colleen Michelle Smith

Colleen Michelle Smith | | Legislator Manuel Esteban’s Honoree

Colleen Michelle Smith spent her first year out of nursing school at Suffolk County Community College POD Center/Mass Vaccination Site, where her and her colleagues were able to distribute thousands of COVID-19 vaccines. Ms. Smith was then hired by Catholic Health-Good Samaritan Hospital where she currently works on a med-surge unit with the capacity for ventilated patients. At one point during the pandemic, Colleen’s unit – all 42 beds - saw exclusive use for COVID patients. She is on several committees in the hospital including the Skin Committee, Unit Based Counsel and Pressure Injury Prevention Committee. Colleen also has a Certification as a Wound treatment Associate.

Colleen’s job is to help patients with whatever they need. Taking their vitals, drawing blood. But everything changed when COVID hit. Patient’s needs changed. And the way she connected with patients changed. Colleen always does everything she can to brighten their days and provide them with love, hope, and the best medical care possible. But there is just something about this pandemic that opened my eyes and made me look differently at the way we provide care. And for Colleen, personally, it made me realize just how important it is for everybody to remain in good spirits, especially when it’s really hard to do so.