A Co Derry nurse has been praised after recently celebrating working for 50 years in Altnagelvin hospital.
Marian McGrath first started working in Theatres in the Derry hospital in 1973, and half a century later she is still looking after patients being admitted for surgery.
Colleagues in Altnagelvin held a tea party to mark Marian's achievement this week, and Marian said there isn't much she hasn't seen during that time.
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Speaking about her nursing career Marian McGrath explained: “When I started nursing `back in the day’ students were allocated to a department – no choices were given.
"I was allocated to Theatres in February 1976 and have been here ever since. I worked in theatres on night duty and moved to Recovery 17 years ago to work day duty.
"I was working night shift when I started in Theatres and there isn’t much I haven’t seen or experienced. It can be extremely busy especially during the night shifts when all surgeries are Emergency Surgery.
“It is a tough job as some surgeries can be complicated, traumatic and take hours. It can also be sad when attending Organ Retrievals for donation, but it is often lifesaving and always a privilege.
“I am very proud to be a Theatre and Recovery Nurse and have had a very rewarding career. My colleagues are my other family through good and bad times and I would be lost without them.
"I would encourage anyone who is thinking about a career in nursing to follow your dreams and hope to continue to mentor and support new recruits into this wonderful profession.”
Sr Rowena McHugh, Dedicated Elective Surgical Unit Manager at Altnagelvin Hospital said it has been a pleasure to work with Marian over the years.
“Over the years it has been an absolute a pleasure, for myself, to have not only worked, but to be trained with one of the very best, and to have grown from a young newly qualified staff nurse, to now 23 years later, as the sister of Dedicated Elective Surgical Unit (DESU).
"The support, advice, encouragement, love, care and attention, both personally and professionally I have received from Marian has been truly remarkable. She has made me into the nurse and woman I am today."
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