After considering it for a while, Donna Devine said she couldn't think of anything else she would have wanted to do as a career. The one she chose enabled her to touch the lives of many other people and make a difference.
"I wouldn't change anything," she said. "I love my job and I love what I do. If you like what you do, people can tell."
The manager of the fifth and sixth floors as well as the cardiopulmonary rehab unit of Altru Hospital will retire in August after 32 years at the hospital, but not before she's honored for her services as a nurse.
A celebration this morning will officially present Devine with the hospital's annual Nursing Hall of Fame Award in recognition for her extraordinary achievement in nursing.
She got her start with the hospital in 1977 as a nurse's aid in orthopedics. After a year or so in that job, Devine went back to school and became a LPN for several years.
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Then she received more education and became a cardiology RN on the fifth floor until taking her managerial position in 1999.
During her time at the hospital, Devine said she has seen many changes in patient care, as well as dramatic advancements in medical technology. There are more specialized physicians now, she said, but because of changes in health care coverage, most patients are forced to leave much earlier than they did in the 1970s.
"You were in the hospital, flat on your back, for 10 days with cataract surgery," she said. "What is it now? It's outpatient surgery."
She said this creates new challenges for medical workers who now need to teach patients how to take care of themselves when they get home.
Devine also talked about the difference between being a nurse and directly dealing with patients on a day-to-day basis compared with her current role as manager. She said she missed spending as much time with the patients, but now is able to mentor and coach the staff to ensure quality health care.
Anytime a person is in the hospital, she said, the staff and nurses need to support the patient and family members. "If you're in the hospital, it's a crisis no matter what it is," she said.
But despite the award, Devine said it's hard for her to be recognized for her achievements. "There are so many people out there that are doing things that should be getting the award also," she said. "It is very humbling to receive an award like this."
Reach Johnson at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .
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