Healing Heart: Madison Loos, RN, BSN

Nashville General Hospital ICU Nurse

Madison Loos, RN, BSN, recently graduated from nursing school and chose to start her career at Nashville General Hospital because of the hospital’s size and commitment to serving the community.

“I initially wanted to work overseas and do mission and service work,” says Madison. “A friend’s mom was a nurse and she showed me how nursing provides the opportunity to do all the things I wanted to do overseas.”

In addition to serving her patients, Madison appreciates that she gets to really know both her coworkers and the people who use the hospital’s services. 

“I love that I know almost everybody here,” says Madison. “I also love that I work with the same patients during their stay here. And, if they need to come back, I get to serve them again. They’re like family. I think that’s really special.”

When not at work, Madison enjoys spending time at a cross-fit gym. She also has a really cute cat that she spends time with. 

How has COVID changed the way you do your job? 

Before COVID, during my first days of nursing school I was told a smile can go a long way. Unfortunately, during COVID when we’re fully gowned and you don’t see any part of my face we don’t have that luxury. I can’t walk into a room and just smile at the patient, so I try to do it with my eyes. I look forward to showing my smile again. A smile can really go a long way. 

If a nurse ran the world, how would our lives be different? 

Nurses are a jack of all trades. We wear many hats. A nurse may not be a master of one thing, but we can do many things. We can assist a physician, help a respiratory therapist and provide compassionate care for our patients. The world would be very different if everybody was like a nurse. 

What inspires you? 

I try to live my life as a light for others, especially in the ICU, where it could be somebody’s worst day. When it’s the darkest of dark for a patient, their family or my coworkers, I try to provide a positive light.