Baltimore ICU nurse featured in national campaign 'Canvases of Care'

BALTIMORE -- An ICU nurse at Baltimore's Sinai Hospital is one of five nurses across the country featured in a national campaign to honor their selfless work.

The compassionate care of nurses is honored in a new national campaign called "Canvases of Care."

For all the long hours that nurses work taking care of those in medical need, an artist channels their sacrifice and dedication to the job through each stroke of paint.

New York City-based artist Tim Okamura brought to life the "Care Data" of five nurses, including Casey Green.

She was selected for being one of more than 100 U.S. nurses to attain all five emergency nursing certifications.

"It's so important to have [a] campaign that's based on helping nurses stay in the profession and also supporting nurses, and I really like that somebody took the time to think about that," Green said.

Okamura turns Green's hours of care in her career into brushstrokes, painting a detailed picture of her commitment to care.

For Green, that's 22,064 brushstrokes.

"I've worked that many hours of my career and then you start thinking about what every hour means, every hand that you've held when they deliver that baby, every hand that you held when they passed away," Green said. "When you're just in these moments with people during COVID, when their family wasn't there."

The artist tracked in real-time using a digital frame on his canvas. Each of his brush strokes pay homage to their commitment to care.

"It was really powerful for me," Green said. "I got a little misty-eyed because it was just an incredible piece of art and I thought it was just an incredible tribute to what me and so many nurses have done in our careers."

Nursing is a profession in need, now more than ever in need of support and advocacy.

But Green and the four other nurses honored will hopefully be a motivation to a field feeling burnout despite their passion for the top-notch care of others.

"You have the ability to change somebody's life every day you come to work," Green said. "You have the ability to make somebody's day an ounce better in just how you care for them."