We came across an article about a 90-year-old nurse in West Virginia, who has been dubbed a Nurse Matriarch.  Her story is inspiring.

Bettie Burdette dropped out of college to go into nursing following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  She received her Registered Nurse certificate in 1945, but did not get the opportunity to serve in the Army.  While Bettie’s mother had been a nurse, it was Bettie who became recognized as the family matriarch in nursing.  Three of her granddaughters are nurses, including one who serves as a Nurse Anesthetist in the U.S. Army.
This amazing lady has experienced virtually all aspects of nursing, from ER, OR and Infection Control to teaching and administration.  And, through it all she raised six children. As she put it, “the work, done right, wasn’t easy…. the word stress did not exist.” You can read more about Bettie’s memories of what it was like “back then” in the article, which was published in the Charleston Gazette.
Nurse Burdette is the epitome of nursing and the type of professional we strive to honor and support through our Barco’s Nightingales Foundation. Frida and I would like to add our thanks to the many accolades Bettie has received over the years.  She is indeed an inspiration.
~Michael and Frida Donner
P.S. If you know a nurse who deserves some extra appreciation, we’d love to hear from you.