Quotes: 'White shoes and a starched cap'

Editor's note: Following a telephone interview about her 46 years in nursing, Karin Salome sent an email with some final thoughts about her career:

"I remember as a young nurse having to wear a white uniform, white stockings, white shoes and a starched cap. One of the pleasures I had working in the operating room as a young nurse was that it was not required to wear 'whites' to work as we had to change into hospital OR scrubs for work. So much has changed from 50 years ago when I began my nursing education. Nurses enter practice as generalists and the opportunity to become advanced specialists is increasing. What hasn’t changed is the essence of nursing: caring for another human being at a time of need. This is an honor."

"It truly has been a privilege to witness and participate in caring for people when they have been the most vulnerable. When a person puts their fate in your hands, allows you to enter their homes, it is very humbling and I so admire the strength my patients have had, whether they were fighting TB disease or other infectious disease, cancer diagnosis, or day-to-day struggles to maintain or improve their own health or their family’s health.

The human spirit is amazing.

I also want to express my admiration and respect for all my colleagues and coworkers over the years at LRGH and in the Division of Public Health for the State of NH. The medical staff, advanced practice personal, nursing staff including the LNAs, surgical technicians, housekeeping, facility maintenance, laboratory staff, medical imaging, food service, and the hospital leadership team (I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone) are dedicated to the people of the Lakes Region and from my colleagues at the state, the entire State of NH. So much compassion and care have been delivered. The Lakes Region community is indeed fortunate to have this facility in our midst.

Indeed, the State of NH is very advanced in our care for overall population health.