Reflections From 33 Years at the Bedside
A nurse for more than three decades, Roxann has witnessed firsthand just how much nursing and healthcare have changed. From the layout of patient rooms and the makeup of nursing teams to the shift from paper charting to electronic medical records, her career reflects an era of transformation in caregiving.
Read Roxann’s story to learn about her 30+ year career at Bronson, how nursing has evolved over time and what continues to bring her back to the bedside year after year.
The Evolution of Nursing: Roxann’s Story
I’ve been a nurse for 33 years – 32 of those have been at Bronson LakeView Hospital (BLH). Over that time, I’ve worked in acute care, the infusion clinic, as a float nurse and occasionally as a house supervisor. Currently, I am part of the General Care Unit. While my roles have changed, and nursing itself has changed, one thing that has always remained consistent is the feeling I get knowing I’m able to care for the people in my community.
When I started nursing in the early 1990s, patient rooms looked very different than they do today. Suction wasn’t built into the walls — it came on rolling carts that had to be moved from room to room. Hospital beds were much smaller and more basic than the ones we use now. We rarely used IV pumps, so antibiotics and fluids were often free‑flowed and required extremely close monitoring by nurses. At that time, the only real “beeping” you heard was from call lights.
Back then, we practiced primary nursing, meaning the team was made up entirely of RNs, with a few LPNs mixed in. There were no PCAs, techs or other support staff. We charted everything on paper. I remember when flowsheet charting was introduced — it was a big deal. Being able to check a box instead of writing long notes felt so exciting. Computers were definitely a learning curve for many of us, and now it’s hard to imagine charting on individual papers stored in large binders and chart corrals that held everything from orders and progress notes to lab and X‑ray results.
While the environment is very different today, advancements in technology truly enhance the patient experience and our ability to provide the best care possible. Having access to patient information right at our fingertips makes nursing more efficient and connected. Tools we use now would have been hard to imagine earlier in my career.
While attending Michigan State University, I worked as a home health aide. That experience shaped how I approach patient care to this day. I saw how differently people live — from gated communities to homes with very limited resources. It was eye‑opening and taught me how important it is to consider what support people may or may not have once they return home.
Working in a small community, I sometimes run into former patients or their family members who remember the care I gave them. One moment that stands out is when I ran into the wife of a patient I cared for many years ago. She told me her husband often spoke highly of me and appreciated our lighthearted interactions while he was fighting cancer. Knowing I made that kind of difference during such a difficult time has stayed with me.
Our teams at BLH work extremely well together. We focus on strong communication between patients, families, providers and the care team, because when we work toward the same goal, patients do better. That’s what health in harmony means to me. It truly feels like a family here. Coworkers support one another, help each other through hard days and make the good days even better.
After all these years of nursing, it continues to inspire me to see patients improve and go home, knowing we helped make a difference in their lives. It is a privilege and an honor to care for people when they are at their worst and to see them recover.
