Maureen Persson RN joined OHC in 2003!
Her enthusiasm and energy make her always welcome on assignments.
It has been fun watching her grandchildren grow up and live vicariously with her amazing travels!
Photo is Maureen with her husband, Jerry at one of OHC’s Holiday parties (I can’t wait until we can gather again)
Here is Maureen’s story:
As the oldest of a family of 5, there was not a lot of money for further education which I desperately wanted in 1960. The primary reason I looked at nursing schools was I could afford to go. Believe it or not my 3 years of nursing education at Lawrence Memorial School of Nursing cost $625 and that included the cost of uniforms. I applied to 3 schools of nursing but trying to get a recommendation to New England Baptist from my nun educators was not to be, so they wrote one for Boston City and Lawrence Memorial and I chose the school in Medford.
My three years in Medford at Lawrence Memorial were wonderful and finding out that nursing was my passion was a blessing. Our life in a dorm with like young women was an experience that gave us memoires that remain with us forever. We had our 50th class reunion with 75% of our graduates attending. New graduates today would be shocked knowing how quickly we were used for staffing after the first year of education. It was learning by fire as we were in charge on off shifts for half a floor with one seasoned nurse as a backup. I enjoyed all the specialties, but found the Emergency room daunting, so when I graduated, I thought if I could master the ER I could master anything.
The ER in 1963 consisted of 2 nurses in the ER without a doctor or any clerical staff. The patients arrived and the nurse triaged and ordered whatever tests the nurse deemed necessary and when you had 10 patients in the ER, you called the attending who had the ER duty for the month, and he left his office cleared out the patients and you started again. ER doctors did not exist in community ERs until 1972. In the late 60’s the hospitals decided to use GP’s to staff the ER and as a nurse with ER experience it was not comforting. When we finally got experienced doctors, we were so relieved not to be in charge.
My nursing duty for over 20 years was the emergency room and then as a nursing supervisor of a community hospital. In 1982 I became an Occupational Nurse where they make Jell-O in Woburn. I started as the nurse then added assistant HR manager and then sanitation engineer and wore those 3 hats until 2002 where I took an early retirement because the job was going to become telephonic medical management which was not something that I wanted to do.
My retirement lasted 2 months and boredom set in, so I went to work for Nancy Clover in Occupational Health. For the last almost 20 years I have been able to work when I want and where I want.
Each assignment has been a learning experience and I have so enjoyed the variety of places and the wonderful people I have worked with over the years. Hospital Employee Health at Lahey and North Shore Medical have been long term assignments and probably my favorite although I can truly say that I have never not liked a place I have been assigned to.
At 77 years of age, I feel truly blessed to still love nursing and hope that I can continue to do the work that I love best. I have a wonderful husband and family that include 5 granddaughters and as a family we love to travel. We winter in Florida on North Hutchinson Island and this year I have volunteered at Covid clinics which have been so rewarding. We will be back soon and hope that Nancy has some work that will fit with our schedule. Nancy Clover is a wonder, and we should be so grateful to have her always in our corner.