Lisa Greene RN has worked for us twice – 2012 – 2014 and then returned to us in 2016 to present.
We are always honored when the nurses return to us. Lisa has done a variety of assignments – Gillette, Beth Israel, Newton Wellesley, Dana Farber and Emerson Hospitals, Federal buildings, Novartis but she has definitely made a home at Children’s Hospital Occupational Health.
Here is Lisa’s story:
I didn’t have any nurses in my family, so I’m not really sure how I became interested in nursing, but I used watch “Julia” with Diahann Carroll, and I also enjoyed “Emergency” back in the 70’s. I got my Red Cross babysitting certification at age 11, so I guess I was interested in care giving. I was a candy striper/volunteer during middle and high school, then studied Nursing at Simmons College and got my BS in 1984.
I was a staff nurse for a couple of years at Beth Israel Hospital, moved on to college health at Northeastern, and then a year of Occupational Health at Teradyne in Boston before I had my first child. When my children were very young, I worked part-time as a visiting nurse for a few years, but when the agency began using a new hand-held computer for documentation that was not user-friendly, and I began having to bring work home with me, I decided to take a break from working. I worried that taking a break would be a problem, but people always told me there were so many things a nurse could do that I would still be able to find a job when I was ready to go back. After 5 years off, and with both my children in school, I worked per diem for a local wellness company doing biometric screenings and small flu clinics at area businesses. They were mostly 2-4 hour jobs, but it was something, and I could still be involved with all my kids’ activities. I did that for about 10 years.
In 2011, a nurse friend called to see if I would want to cover a maternity leave at Fidelity’s Health & Wellness Center in Boston. I really enjoyed it. I knew from another friend that Gillette had a medical dept. so I called to see if they needed any per diem nurses, and their nurse manager told me about Nancy Clover. I called her right away and signed up. I was really surprised I had never heard of her and was excited to work full shifts. I worked per diem for Nancy and Premise Health for a couple of years, but then took a full –time job at a Fidelity Health Center in NH. When I told Nancy, I was taking a full time job she said, “I’m not worried, you’ll be back!” Sure enough, after 2 years I left Premise/Fidelity and have been back with Nancy since 2016.
Working per diem for Nancy is a ‘really good gig’, as she would say. I can work where I want when I want. No pressure. I cover mostly employee health and flu clinics. I have worked in Employee Health clinics at several of the Boston hospitals, and various other companies. For the past 4 years I have mostly worked in OHS at Boston Children’s Hospital doing pre-employment screenings.
Outside of work I really enjoy golf. My husband and I spend the end of winter in the Palm Springs, CA area enjoying the weather, scenery, and golf. We are members at a local country club and golf all summer here in MA. I enjoy traveling, crosswords/Sudoku, I got into knitting a few years ago, and recently learned Canasta. I can also sew and play the piano. Oh, and I am a chocoholic!