MARYVILLE – Donna Wendel, RN, IT Senior Applications Manager, recently celebrated her 43rd work anniversary at the institution, marking her as one of the few who have achieved this milestone.
On the occasion, her colleagues surprised her with a celebratory cake from Silly Grandma’s Sweets in Troy. This anniversary is particularly significant as it will be her last; Wendel is set to retire in September.
Wendel’s journey at Anderson Hospital began on Feb. 9, 1981, shortly after her graduation. “I actually graduated in January 1981 and started at Anderson on February 9 with my license pending after taking the boards,” Wendel recounted. She initially worked on the 3rd Medical floor for approximately three and a half years before transferring to the 7-room Emergency Department (ED) for another three and a half years.
Her career then took her to the Operating Room (OR), where she spent 14 years serving in various roles, including Scrub Nurse, Circulator, First Assistant, Autotransfusionist, and Ortho Team Nurse. It was during this time that she became involved in the hospital’s transition to electronic medical records.
“When the hospital planned to transition to electronic records I was the Team Leader for the OR Implementation Team because I had taken a computer literacy class,” Wendel explained.
As the electronic records project neared completion, the IT Director encouraged her to apply for an open position in the IT department. “After a great deal of soul searching on whether or not I wanted to leave bedside nursing, I applied. She interviewed me on a Friday and immediately offered me the job. I started the following Monday,” Wendel said. Since 2001, she has been a key member of the IT team.
Reflecting on her long tenure at Anderson Hospital, Wendel said, “I stayed at Anderson because I had gone to Barnes Hospital School of Nursing and done all of my clinical experience in a very large teaching facility. I liked working at this smaller hospital close to home where there were opportunities for me to learn new skills as the hospital expanded and added new services to meet the needs of the community.”
As Donna Wendel prepares to retire, her 43 years of dedicated service stand as a testament to her commitment and adaptability, qualities that have significantly contributed to the growth and evolution of Anderson Hospital.
