Stories to Tell,
Memories to Cherish

Long-time nursing professionals Joan Clegg and Alice Davila will be celebrated by Beverly Hospital for 40 years of dedicated service s Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). ...

When asked why they chose to stay at Beverly Hospital all of these years, both expressed the same sentiment.  Clegg replies, "[It's] the job, the people--camaraderie."  Davila considers it "home-away-from-home." ...

There isn't much this dynamic-duo has not witnessed in their 80 years combined at Beverly Hospital.  They have seen a wave of change from dress codes, staffing ratios, to memorable experiences with patients.

Reflecting on one patient, Clegg chuckles as she tells the story of a retired fireman who thought that he heard a fie alarm go off and decided to respond to the call.  However, he had forgotten that he was recovering from orthopedic surgery and hopped out of bed, fully attached to the CPM machine and IVs.  "Needless to say, he didn't get very far," laughs Clegg. ...

There was a time when smoking was allowed at nursing stations and in patient rooms.  Now, smoking is banned from the hospital altogether.  Glass vials once held medications that was dispensed by nurses, and then sterilized.

Major technological advances have gone forth since the '60s.  One wonders how health professionals communicated with one another back then since there were no beepers or pagers. ...

Davila, the more quiet and reserved of the two, considers orthopedics the place where she has specialized experience for much of her 40 years. ...

"It's incredible, the loyalty and dedication of these two nurses--to have given the majority of their careers here at Beverly Hospital.  It's genuinely heart-warming," comments Bobbie McCaffrey, vice president of nursing services at Beverly Hospital. ...

From Spotlight on Montebello, May - June, 2008.