Katie Marlowe, RN
McLeod Health Clarendon, Labor and Delivery
How long have you been a nurse?
I graduated in 2013, this year will make 9 years being a nurse.
How long have you been at McLeod?
I have been here at McLeod Clarendon since 2013.
Where did you receive your education, and do you have any other degrees/certifications besides RN?
I received my Associates in Nursing from Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, SC.
Have you received any nursing awards or recognitions? Is so, which ones?
I have received a Healthcare Hero award.
Why did you choose to become a nurse?
I have always tried to look out for everyone that I come in contact with. The thought of helping someone through their most vulnerable moments is what drove me to become a nurse.
Was/is there someone in your life who inspired you to become a nurse or who mentored you? If so, who and how?
My high school softball coach, Lori Johnson, encouraged me to become a nurse. I remember her telling me my senior year during a conversation about my future, “You love to help and encourage everyone you meet, there is no doubt in my mind that nursing is your calling.”
Why did you choose to work in Labor and Delivery?
I always knew my heart longed to help bring babies into the world. I started my career on Med-Surg and after 2 years made the transition to Labor and Delivery. Helping a mom embrace her body and bring a new life into the world is a feeling that never gets old.
What challenges did the recent pandemic create in your role?
My favorite thing to do with a patient is to smile and laugh with them. With wearing the masks during the pandemic, I felt at times like I was failing them. They couldn’t see the excitement on my face as they journeyed through motherhood. Since visitors were limited, they depended even more on us to be that bright light in a delivery room, sometimes I felt like they couldn’t feel that.
How did you make it through emotionally caring for patients during the pandemic?
I took a lot home with me. Struggling to watch moms who were covid positive, have to do it alone was heartbreaking. I couldn’t leave that at work. I’d go home and pray for every single one of my patients and their babies after each shift.
