78 Photo Essay: Molly Wright, Nurse, St. Vincent’s Hospital
Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Image by Blakeney Clouse
Some of Molly Wright’s fondest memories are of her childhood. Growing up with two older brothers and a younger sister, countless afternoons were spent playing in the yard of her family’s home in Jasper. She recalls jumping off the roof of a playhouse onto a trampoline, and even being pulled around on a sled behind a golf cart.
She also remembers the beginnings of a nearly lifelong dream of becoming a labor and delivery nurse. She attaches the memory of that dream to instances of visiting friends and family at St. Vincent’s Hospital after their babies were born. She could envision herself as a grownup, providing care to new families as those tending to her loved ones did.
That dream is now a reality. For just over two years, Molly has worked as a nurse in the Birth Suites at St. Vincent’s in Birmingham, providing labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum care. Now she is able to care for mothers and babies before, during, and after birth.
“Providing the best and safest care for my patients motivates me,” Molly says. “I love taking care of a mother throughout her labor and playing a special role in the delivery process. The goals that I strive to accomplish at work are bonding with my patient, being there for her through every step of the way, and doing what is the safest for her and her baby.”
Each day at work, Molly draws strength and inspiration from three key sources in her life. First and foremost is her faith in God. Second is the Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr— God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference—which her mother encouraged her to lean on when she faces challenges. Third, but certainly not least, is the well-rounded influence of her father, Haig Wright.
“My dad always has the best advice, no matter the circumstance,” Molly says. “He always exemplifies what it takes to be a hard worker while staying true to who you are and maintaining your relationship with God. I look up to him in many ways. I strive to emulate his positive outlook on life, his dedication to his family, friends, and work, and his solid faith.”
In December 2021, Molly will complete her Family Nurse Practitioner Master’s Degree. She is currently undecided on which area of medicine she wants to work in, but for the time being, she is more than happy continuing to play an integral role in helping bring new lives into the world. 78