Bear River Valley Hospital nurse celebrates 53 years with Intermountain Health

Sandra Roberts, RN, recently celebrated 53 years of being a caregiver for Intermountain Health. Sandra graduated from Weber State College (now Weber State University) in Ogden, Utah at a time when she says not many students were applying to nursing school. She now works on the same day surgery unit at Bear River Valley Hospital in Tremonton, Utah.

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When and where did you start with Intermountain??

I actually started working for Intermountain before it was even "Intermountain." McKay-Dee Hospital and Logan Regional Hospital were owned and operated through Deseret Corporation through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I started in August of 1971.

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What roles have you held here?

I floated the Logan Hospital and worked in all areas of the hospital.?I worked on the medical floor, surgical floor, pediatrics, orthopedic east wing, and was head nurse on the OB floor. I also worked Labor and Delivery and in the nursery, which really prepared me for working at a rural hospital. When I transferred to the old Bear River Valley hospital, I also worked as an OR circulator, scrub tech, in the recovery room, and emergency room. I was an instructor for ACLS, PALS, and BLS before we had RQI.?Presently, I am working in same day surgery, which is a great place to work.

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What different locations have you worked at?

I oriented and worked for a short time at McKay-Dee Hospital after graduation and then Logan Regional Hospital and finally both Bear River Valley hospitals.?First the ancient one on main street in Tremonton, the old Bear River Valley hospital where you had to be the jack-of-all-trades, and finally the present Bear River Valley Hospital.?

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What are some of the moments that stand out to you?

I have found that mothers never forget their labor and delivery nurse, even years later.? I frequently have mothers stop me on the street with their grown children or grandchildren and inform them that I was the delivery room nurse when they came into the world.?Just being able to connect and support patients and their families when they have a life or death experience has been very rewarding through the years.

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What are the biggest changes you have seen during your years as a nurse?

Nurses’ attire:?Picture nurses in their white dresses, white shoes, white nylons with a nurse's cap on their heads.?Present day scrubs are so much more comfortable and functional to wear!

Equipment:?Glass IV bottles instead of plastic,?butterfly needles for IV starts that infiltrated easily instead of angiocaths.

Technology:?Basic IV pumps that you programed yourself, versus programable pumps that you simply enter the medicine name, Accudose machines for scanning meds — many things have improved for patient safety.?Charting by hand, for example, versus the computer charting we do now.?There is always something new to learn.

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Could you estimate how many patients you have cared for during your career?

Oh my goodness — I have absolutely no idea!

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What has kept you in nursing for more than five decades?

Nursing has kept my mind and body active as I have aged, and I still enjoy helping patients feel comfortable with the care they receive in the hospital. Most of all, it's really been the people I have had the privilege to work with over the years.?They are trusted friends that not only deliver extraordinary care every day but they also know how to make work fun!??

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How long do you plan to continue working?

I think I will retire when our new computer system "Epic" arrives!