When LaCameo Miller graduated with honors from Bainbridge High School in 2002, she and her mother knew she was destined for greater things. She had been a member of the marching band for four years, was a member of the Bainbridge High School Interact Club, and the Collegiate Club. She received the “optimism” award in 2002 from the marching band, and from the interact club she was voted member of the year.
That optimism proved to be well-founded as she was just featured in the December/January edition of South Magazine as being voted one of the greatest nurses in the magazine’s Stars of the South contest. The South Magazine conducts regular contests in varying categories, and nominees are then voted on.
Miller, RN, MSN/ED, now works in the mother/baby unit of St. Joseph’s/Candler Hospital in Savannah.
She was nominated by a former patient who said she took time to teach her and her husband baby basics, calmed her when she needed it, and just went above and beyond for all her patients. “She also still genuinely cares for my family and about many of the other families that bring their babies back to see her. I couldn’t as for a better nurse,” the former patient wrote.
LaCameo’s mother, Virginia Miller, says as far back as she can remember her daughter has always wanted to be a nurse.
“She was always a caring person looking after everyone,” Virginia said.
LaCameo graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and started at Candler in 2007. She went on to earn her master’s from University of Phoenix and works as a part-time instructor at Savannah Technical College, but her passion is working with babies.
“I have been working on this unit for seven years and I absolutely Love what I do,” Miller said. “I love the fact that I get to welcome beautiful babies into the world everyday and play a fundamental role in helping a mother learn to care for herself and her new baby.”
She said she is forever amazed at how babies change, grow and have their own little personalities.
“Babies make my heart smile and bring me so much joy. They make doing what I do so very worth it,” Miller said.
Miller is quoted in the magazine saying the best part of her job is, “Being able to love all those babies. I can’t get enough of them.” She acknowledges that the job isn’t always easy. There are heartbreaks when babies are lost; and she says it is the hardest part of the job — seeing a mother mourning the loss of a newborn. But she feels being able to show compassion while helping the family cope, helps her feel a bit less helpless in such sad situations.
Miller leans on God for help in all situations. She says she likes to say a prayer before starting each shift.
“I ask for patience, and I pray for the skill and ability to be able to do a great job when giving patient care,” Miller said.