 |  |  |  |  |  |
   | ||
|
Job Bank UCMC News Calendar Hospital Staff Administration Volunteers History Contact Us Qualifications and Awards Financial Arrangements Patient Rights and Responsibilities Advance Directives Visiting Hours Admissions and Discharge Gift Shop and Cafeteria
|  |
Hospital Employees Honored for Years of Service
Prepared by: Steve Wong Upstate Carolina Medical Center Marketing Phone 864-487-1515 Click Photos for High Resolution Images Forty-six years ago, Ronda Dillingham began working at the hospital in Gaffney because it was close to home. She stayed nearly five decades because of the people she works with and cares for. For her, there’s no end in sight. Ms. Dillingham was one of many employees recently honored for their years of services at Upstate Carolina Medical Center. She, unlike most of the others, remembers when Upstate Carolina was Cherokee County Memorial Hospital and county owned. "I started here for the convenience," the Cherokee County native said. "It is close to my home. And the people around me are my neighbors, and I enjoy working with them. I enjoy taking care of people and seeing them get better. It is such a pleasure to see them get better." Ms. Dillingham started working at the hospital when she was 18 years old. She finished her nursing training at 19, but by law then could not get her LPN license until she was 20. She recalled how she received her training in a brick building behind the old hospital in about 1961 and how, when she finished her training, she started to work the very next day. Since then, she has worked in every nursing department with the exception of surgery. She has also worked every shift. Today, she works and prefers to work the third shift. One of her favorite memories of working at the hospital is when it changed hands and moved to a new building in 1988. “We moved the patients first, then the supplies,” she said. “Then all of us went out and we just locked the door.” Today, that building is a nursing facility, next door to Upstate Carolina Medical Center. "I didn’t plan to be nurse," she said. "I stumbled over it. I needed a job, and I had friends who had been nurses. It’s a very happy place, a rewarding place. It’s hard work and it’s not an easy job. At times, it can be sad. "There’s been a lot of changes," she continued. "Moving from yesterday to tomorrow… new equipment… more room. Cherokee County has a good hospital. We have a good hospital." At age 65, Dillingham said she’s had offers to work elsewhere but that long ago she made a decision to say at Upstate Carolina. And as far as retirement is concerned, "Maybe sometimes in the future," is all she would say. "Recognizing an employee for years of services is very important," hospital CEO Joe Howell said. "These people have dedicated their lives to helping others, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. I am very proud of each and every one. Their longevity here is testimony to this hospital’s commitment to quality and caring." All of the employees received a lapel pin from the parent corporation, Health Management Associates (HMA) of Naples, FL. The employees honored, include…
|
