Debbie McGinnis retires August 22 with a full heart after 44 years as a Blessing Hospital nurse.
“I am so thankful that my parents encouraged me to pursue nursing as a career because it has been rewarding in so many ways. I have seen a lot of changes within healthcare in the past 44 years, and my life has been touched by some amazing patients, families and coworkers,” she said.
Debbie’s love for healthcare began in high school when she volunteered as a candy striper at the hospital in Mexico, Missouri.
After graduating from high school in Vandalia, Missouri, Debbie completed her nursing prerequisites at Hannibal LaGrange College and received her diploma in nursing from the Blessing Hospital School of Nursing.
While attending college, Debbie worked as a nurse aide on the evening shift at Blessing Hospital for three years.
Upon graduation, she was hired by Blessing as a registered nurse on a medical/surgical unit. After a year, Debbie transferred to the Critical Care Unit and served 24 years as a nationally certified critical care registered nurse, advancing through the roles of staff nurse, charge nurse, patient care supervisor and department director. Her other career experiences at Blessing included serving as a clinical analyst in Information Systems, a nurse in the gastroenterology department, and finally in the Employer Clinic, the department from which she retired.
“I didn’t choose nursing for the money, nor did I care about the shift for which I was hired. I chose nursing because I wanted to make a difference and enjoyed caring for others,” Debbie concluded. “I was so lucky to have the best bosses and co-workers who were always there to support me, and many of them will be my lifelong friends.”
Debbie has been married to her husband Kevin for 42 years. They have two children.