Grace Medical Profession
The medical profession is graced by all related fields and specialties of health, requiring years of specialty training in the field of medicine by all of its practitioners.
The word grace has several meanings; it means to be empowered, to be blessed, to achieve. Grace is also a person’s name. In this case it’s my mother’s name Grace Richards.
My name is Donna Richards. I designed the blog “Grace Medical Profession” to honor my mom, who is being recognized on September 17, 2017, by members of the Trinidad & Tobago Nursing Association of America, Inc., of which she has been a member for the past 35 years. Hence the name of the blog “Grace Medical Profession.”
Grace
The Association called informing us that they would like to recognize my mom at its 49th Annual Luncheon.
Instant jubilation filled my heart and I accepted the offer on my mom’s behalf, without informing her of the proposal. I told the secretary we accept. I then gave my mom the phone and she was then informed of the proposal.
Needless to say, she pulled out the gloom card and began giving reasons why they should honor another member.
The news filled my heart with an unexpected joy, which surprised me. The inspiration was filled with a purpose, an assignment and a direct path to fulfill the unexpected jubilation in my heart.
The creative voice in my head said “honor her through a blog.” I am not a professional Internet Marketer. However, I am comfortable enough to accept the challenge. More importantly, I understand that blogging is an excellent opportunity to share, communicate and bring value of interest to relevant content.
- In the blog I can honor my mom through her professional career as a Registered Nurse.
- I can honor the Trinidad and Tobago Nurses Association by highlighting the mission, purpose and its achievements of the past 49 years.
- I can effectively serve humanity and the blogging community with illustrations of character and strength, shown by my mom and her associates to aspire and motivate others to a career in the nursing or the medical fields.
- Lastly, the blog can allow members of the Association or anyone in the medical profession to contribute by being guest authors writing articles, posting audios and pictures of interest in the medical field.
The gift of life is the most precious gift of all. Mankind, all living species of animals and plants have also received this special gift of life.
On special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and during the Christmas season we exchange special gifts. This blog “Grace Medical Profession” is designed to be my special gift to my mom, allowing me to illustrate Gracie’s world through my eyes.
I am Gracie’s only child. I have no kids, meaning Gracie is without grandchildren. When I finally got married, I trotted down to City Hall, also denying her the opportunity of a special wedding celebration, understanding that in no way, a blog can compare to the inherent joy of grandchildren. I am thankful to the Association for giving me the opportunity to openly show my affection to mom.
We would feel immense satisfaction, if the content of the blog could be instrumental in aiding readers to choose a career from the vast medical field, which she loves and greatly enjoyed.
From infancy to age 13, I called her Mammie. as I began to experience her tender nature, the name Gracie seemed more angelic and befitting to her character than the traditional Mammie, which seemed harsh to me. In no way is she called Gracie out of disrespect to her. She is very curvaceous and petite in size, she is mentally strong, academically bright and has a very simple temperament. Calling her Gracie just sounds sweeter to me.
Trinidad and Tobago Nursing Association
As a child of one of the members of the Trinidad and Tobago Nursing Association, I attended all of the Association’s yearly events, sponsored programs; supported various causes to raise funds, promoted educational and charitable venues within the community.
I was always amazed that the Association, a group of mainly women with less than 5 male nurses, were so successful in their marketing endeavors, which successfully sustained them for the past 49 years. It is a remarkable accomplishment for any association, but especially for a group which is not business oriented.
For this reason dedicating the blog to Gracie and to the Trinidad and Tobago Nursing Association is a tremendous honor for me. Through the blog I can contribute by bringing greater awareness of the association’s accomplishments for continued growth.
Grace the Registered Nurse
As a child my first collective memory of Gracie was her being in the Nurses training school in San. Fernando General Hospital in Trinidad, West Indies. with the lavender and then the dark blue uniform.
Her friends who came to the house to visit were all nurses: Olga Smith, Grace Simmons, Wilma Burrowes and Irma Bobb.
Although I was a child, I was certain that Gracie and her friends were different from the average woman. Academically they were brighter and possessed a calm assurance, which was different in my eyes. The salary was not sizable, but it gave them considerable economic power which most women did not experience during the 1960’s.
During her years of training I became well acquainted with the names of other nurses: Marjorie Mc Sween, Irma Gibbs, Dorothy Ross, Lynette Davis, Maude Knight and Semper. In 1963, the class or batch # 2 CPTS all graduated as licensed Registered Nurses.
It is said that one quiet night at work, while thumbing through a Medical Magazine, they saw a recruiting Ad for RN’s in foreign countries and they decided “to apply to see the outside world.” Within a few months, their application were accepted, and they were granted Immigrated Visas to reside in they were granted acceptance into the United States.
What enabling courage these women possessed to leave Home, Family, Country and 5 years of service to seek new possibilities in an unknown land? Especially knowing they would be required to simultaneously work as nurses and attend classes to take the State Board examination to retain their RN licenses, in a new dynamic Country.
In life we all have challenges, obstacles, hurdles and barriers to cross. Yes, they were established RN’s, at an early age in life. Many readers may be fortunate to live privileged lives. We all know that a privilege life does not guarantee that life and career would be smooth and easy.
Often chains of events, circumstances, economic family hardship, sickness and death of the main provider, the end of a romantic relationship, pregnancy, sabotage and envy have often derailed and altered the completion of many bright, promising young careers.
In Gracie’s early years of training, she was struck by illness during her course of studies and also during her final examinations. It was most unfortunate that she missed her graduation ceremony. Thankfully, she recovered beautifully to attend the graduation ball.
Nursing in the United States
Gracie and her friends were accepted by hospitals in the United States, in Los Angeles, and in NYC. Obviously they choose NYC.
Before entering Bellevue Hospital, her friend Marjorie Mc Sween encouraged them to join her at Bronx Lebanon Hospital which they did for a short while. the 2 ½ hour daily train ride one way from Brooklyn to the Bronx was strenuous and time consuming. Bellevue an hour ride, one way from Brooklyn to Manhattan, soon won the challenge.
After taking the State Boards, she enrolled at St. Francis College where she received her Bachelors of Science Degree in 1978. Later she enrolled at Central Michigan University and obtained her Master of Science Degree in Administration in 1993.
At Bellevue Hospital in NYC, she entered as a Staff Nurse and retired as a Nursing Supervisor. For years she was the Head Nurse of the Plastic Surgery ward. As a Nursing Supervisor she managed 5 services on the day shift: Plastic Surgery, Trauma, Hand, PVD (Peripheral Vascular Disease) and IMCU (Intermediate Medical Care Unit).
Gracie retired from Bellevue and remains active within different organizations, attending medical conferences, seminars and wellness programs within the local areas and abroad. Her latest event will be held on September 17, 2017, as she is recognized by the Trinidad and Tobago Nurses Association, for 27 years of faithful service she gave fulfilling the organization’s mission.
P.S. If you are contemplating a career in the medical profession, I hope that the content and the personal elements in the blog ” Grace Medical Profession”; would serve as an inspirational guide to get you started in the right direction and sustain you to successfully complete the Specialty training needed in your desired career.
I sincerely thank you for reading the Home Page to the end. Please, like us on Facebook and share the blog with friends of interest.
We would greatly appreciate your patronage by taking a few RAFFLE BOOKS to assist in the Annual Scholarship Grant Award.
If you live in the New York or the Queens area, we would be honored to have you at the Luncheon.
Sincerely,
Donna Richards author of Grace Medical Profession
Donna Richards
