Nursing is one of the most taxing and also one of the most rewarding careers out there. It takes hard work and dedication just to graduate from nursing school. The story of Gail Nelson is just one example of a rewarding and long lasting career ahead.

In 2008, Gail Nelson, LPN-C , retired from Perkins County Health Services in Nebraska. After graduating from St. Anthony’s in Denver, Colorado, Nelson worked at the county hospital for 53 years.  She had the opportunity to take on various roles within the hospital, but her favorite part of the job was the joy she experienced while being with babies and their mothers.

While working in the hospital all those years, Gail served under ten different directors of nursing and eleven different administrators. The most noticeable changes to Nelson were the increase in paperwork and higher license renewal fees. Back when she graduated it cost only $2 to renew her license while today it costs over $100 every two years. In her free time Nelson plans on sleeping in, playing cards, attending more evening activities, and spending time with her husband and grandchildren.

Nelson’s tenure at Perkins County is an example of dedication and a source of inspiration for all current and aspiring nurses. It also raises the question- what changes can we expect to see in the field of nursing in the next 50 years? Where do you see yourself in nursing in the next 5-10 years? Will you still be active in the field 20-30 years from today?