Labor and delivery nurse at Lancaster hospital earns accolades

Keri Weaver ‘15, a labor and delivery nurse at Lancaster General Hospital, was recognized for professional excellence during the July managing partners meeting.

CEO Jan Bergen begins the monthly meeting with a positive story, said Alyssa Livengood ’98 Waite, director of nursing at the Women and Babies Hospital in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Weaver earned praise for her calm and thoughtful care from an expectant mother during a crisis cesarean section decision, Livengood Waite said.

“I had no information going into the meeting,” Weaver said. “I was thrilled. I can’t believe a patient was so moved by my care that she wanted to share it.”

Weaver began her professional nursing career in the gastrointestinal and urinary medical surgery unit, where she worked nights with a challenging caseload. Those two years taught her “how to prioritize, multitask, and recognize a wide variety of clinical observations,” she said, “but I felt like I was only catching a glimpse of the nurse I wanted to be.”

Wanting more time to devote to patient care as well as a new challenge, Weaver joined the labor and delivery unit in March 2017. The new position has been a positive and energizing move with opportunities for new challenges and leadership.

“The care is specialized and skilled, and I am more autonomous, making clinical decisions based on critical thinking and instinct,” she said. “My coworkers are fantastic and impressive nurses. I learned by example and expanded into being my own nurse. The positive relationships built me up and I grew immediately.”

Now enrolled in EMU’s MS in Nursing program, Weaver says she is excited for this next step in her professional career towards nursing leadership. She envisions several potential career moves, perhaps into teaching and curriculum development, quality improvement or management.