Submitted by Providence Swedish
For as long as Teresa Miller can remember, nursing has felt like a natural calling. Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Teresa was surrounded by healthcare. Her mother worked as a pediatric nurse at Providence St. Patrick Hospital, and many others in her family were in medicine, including an uncle who was a physician. Listening to their conversations about patients left a lasting impression.
“Even as a girl, I thought I would want to do something like that,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to be a doctor, but I knew I wanted to be a nurse.” That early inspiration turned into a lifelong career Teresa has always loved and found joy in.
She attended Carroll College in Helena, Montana, before beginning her nursing career in South Bend, Washington. Soon after, she moved to Seattle, where she worked in a pediatric bone marrow transplant program.
It was also in Seattle that Teresa met her husband, which eventually led to a move to Olympia. In 1989, she joined Providence St. Peter Hospital, where she has remained ever since, caring for generations of children and families.
What has kept Teresa in pediatric nursing for decades is not just the patients. It’s the families. “I love working with families,” she says. “The family dynamic is so important.”
She views her role as both caregiver and educator, helping parents understand how to care for their children and supporting them through uncertain moments. In her experience, strong family support systems make all the difference.
“If a kid has a family, the family can do well,” she explains. “Without that system in place, it’s much harder.”
Building relationships with families is especially important during her shifts. Beyond caring for children’s medical needs, Teresa makes a point to get to know the families at their bedside.
“It’s so important that they trust me and know I care about their children,” she says. “I want them to understand the plan for their child’s care.”
Of course, working with children brings its own unique rewards. “Kids are a hoot,” Teresa said with a laugh. “They’re always entertaining and fun.”
At the same time, the work is intellectually demanding. Advances in pediatric medicine, from vaccines to evolving treatment practices, require constant learning. “The science changes all the time,” she says. “I really value that. It keeps the work challenging and meaningful.”
As a night shift nurse, Teresa’s work comes with distinct challenges, especially when it comes to balancing medical care with rest for both children and parents. “At night, you’re interrupting sleep,” she explains. “So, I try to plan care around what’s best for the family.”
That might mean clustering care activities to minimize disruptions or help with nighttime feedings so parents can rest. Each shift is different, depending on the needs of the children in Teresa’s care.
“The biggest difference is sleep,” she says. “Everything revolves around trying to preserve it.”
Pride in Team and Community
When Teresa thinks about her colleagues, one word stands out: commitment. “I’m most proud of our team’s dedication to caring for our community,” she says.
In a region with access to large children’s hospitals, maintaining strong local pediatric care is essential, and something she and her team are deeply passionate about. “We really want families to have the option to receive care close to home,” Teresa says.
Her decision to stay at St. Peter and work in this community for decades is rooted in its Mission. Teresa was drawn to the hospital’s sense of purpose and its emphasis on compassion and service.
For Teresa, healthcare is about more than clinical care, it’s about responsibility to others. “I still believe we are responsible for those less fortunate than us,” she says. “That’s why I got into healthcare, and why I’ve stayed in it.”
When she’s not caring for patients, Teresa spends time with her two Australian shepherds, Bonnie and Clyde, tends her garden and visits her mother and sisters in Tacoma where they live. Walking and reading round out her favorite activities.
After decades of nursing, her passion remains as strong as ever — a testament to a career built on compassion, curiosity and commitment to children and their families.
“Know that we are truly committed to the care your children need,” Teresa says. “We have smart nurses and brilliant doctors right here in our community. You don’t have to go elsewhere; you can get great care locally.”
About Providence Swedish
Providence Swedish in South Puget Sound touches more lives in the 540,000 five-county service area of Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties than any other health care provider.
It is made up of:
• Providence St. Peter Hospital, a 394-bed facility founded in 1887.
• Providence Centralia Hospital, a 128-bed facility founded in 1926.
• Providence Medical Group in Southwest Washington, including more than 40 clinics with more than 350 primary, specialty care and hospital-based providers.
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