Deborah Rutherford
July 2023
Deborah
Rutherford
,
RN
Surgical Services, Endoscopy, & SPD
Indiana University Health Paoli Hospital
Paoli
,
IN
United States

 

 

 

Debbie has always had an open door, a listening ear, and encouraging words.
Debbie has been dedicated to IU Health Paoli for over 40 years. It is hard to summarize all of the amazing things that she has done that she would insist are just things that she does because they are her job. She treats her team like family: whether it is being flexible to accommodate requests off or making her team members favorite treats for their birthday, you can always count on her to make sure we have the best. She always has an open door, and I often find others in her office collaborating to solve problems or coming up with ideas to make something better. I will miss her steady presence and open ear any time I need to bounce something off of her.

She could have chosen to retire earlier during the Covid Pandemic, but she remained here with us at Paoli as we navigated the worldwide pandemic. She was willing to have her team members come to the Med Surg floor to assist, float across the region, and float down to the ED during times of Surge. We will certainly miss her expertise as she moves forward to her next era!

Debbie has always had an open door, a listening ear, and encouraging words. I have gone to her a lot throughout my years in leadership (we all have!). Anytime I had a question about an instrument, she almost always knew what I was talking about (if I got the name of it correct) and she'd open her "instrument bible" to get the part number so I could order it. When I needed policy help, she was there. She has also been a good friend to me throughout the years, and an encouragement when I needed someone to talk to. She has a way of making you feel special, like she has all the time in the world, even on busy days, to lend a listening ear and advice when needed.

I value and admire the knowledge that she has accumulated and shared over her past 45+ years as a nurse, and the amount of lives she's touched during her career is priceless.

Debbie, I will truly miss you a ton! We all will!
"Thank you for everything" sums it up, but doesn't seem like near enough.