Karen Niccum’s Pride Story
Employee
Imagine a majestic oak tree beginning as a tiny acorn. After years of being nurtured, it grows into a strong tree. It weathers many changes and is made of rings that tell its story. It serves a protection, grows stronger over time and is a symbol of changing seasons. Much like that oak tree, my career as a nurse has been growing and ever changing lifetime of opportunity.
The world of nursing was introduced to me at a young age. My elderly grandparents lived with us and my mother cared for them as they experienced failing health. I was the “assistant nurse,” spending time at my grandmother’s bedside when she was ill. I lined up old medicine bottles on the desk in my bedroom, which often became the doctor’s office for my dolls. My mind was already being shaped to spend a lifetime of caring for others.
My entire career has been cultivated in one small community hospital. Like an acorn, I was encouraged to grow and develop my skills through the support and guidance of those I worked with. I was given the opportunity to establish a surgical department and now manage a growing and every changing surgical suite.
My passion for surgical nursing is reaffirmed regularly. It is so rewarding to witness a patient’s amazement when sight is regained after cataract surgery, to see a child healthy after a tonsillectomy, or observe a patient returning to an active, pain-free life after a total knee replacement.
I continue to weather the storms of change and challenge and provide care for my family, friends and neighbors. Now, as one of the mature “oak tees” of my profession, I can truly say that my career as a nurse has been a lifetime of growth and satisfaction.
Karen Niccum, RN
Surgery & Outpatient Services