As a young nurse, Rhonda Turner never thought she would end up in a leadership role.
But, just five years after beginning her registered nursing career at what was then Sacred Heart General Hospital in Eugene, Ore., Turner’s supervisor asked her to be a charge nurse.
That offer launched a new career path that would ultimately lead Turner to her current role as the director of surgical and interventional services at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center — a role Turner will step down from in two weeks.
After more than 40 years in nursing, including 10 years at the Salmon Creek hospital, Turner is retiring Aug. 3.
“It was a hard decision to make, to retire,” she said. “Because I love Salmon Creek.”
Turner, 63, was hired as the surgical director four months after Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center opened in 2005. Prior to that, she worked for five years as a nurse manager at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland.
She’s leaving Legacy with a plan in place to build out the hospital’s ninth and 10th operating rooms, utilizing the last of the existing space reserved for growth.
“Our growth was slow when we opened,” Turner said.
When the hospital opened in August 2005, staff performed just nine surgical and interventional procedures that first month. During Turner’s first month on the job in December 2005, surgical teams performed 173 procedures. Now, the medical center has about 500 surgical and interventional cases per month.
“We’re out of operating room time for new physicians who want to practice here,” Turner said.
In the next year, however, those two additional operating rooms will be equipped and opened to meet the demand, she said.
The surgical and interventional services department has another big project on the horizon: the addition of interventional cardiac services, which involve catheter-based treatments. Planning for that project will begin later this year.
“This was really a nice time to hand off to a new leader,” Turner said.
Tremendous changes
Over the decades of her career, Turner has seen tremendous changes in the medical field. One of the most significant was the implementation of electronic health records. The digital patient files provide valuable information in a timely manner and allow physicians to share information, she said.
For example, a nurse in the recovery room can look at the records of a patient undergoing surgery to see how the procedure is going and prepare for his or her arrival to recovery, Turner said.
Technology has changed the way surgeons operate, as well, Turner said.
“Where we used to do open surgeries all the time, we do laparoscopic surgeries,” she said.
Surgeons are also embracing robotics, which allow even more dexterity. Those changes, Turner said, mean less blood loss and significantly less pain for patients.
“That’s been exciting,” she said. “It’s great for patient care.”
Patient care and safety have evolved over the years, as well. Hospitals today rely on a team approach to patient safety. The entire surgical team is involved and anyone on the team can speak up when something doesn’t seem right, Turner said.
In the past, the surgeon dictated everything in the operating room, she said.
Legacy also relies on checklists that are repeated at multiple stages of a patient’s stay to ensure mistakes aren’t made, she said.
“It’s a safer climate for patients,” she said.
After she retires, Turner and her husband, Jim Turner, plan to take a summer sailing trip to the south Puget Sound with their children and 2-year-old granddaughter. They plan to camp, visit state parks and explore the Sound by sailboat.
After a year of play, the Vancouver couple plans to give back. They’re looking into volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels.
No matter the adventures Turner has during retirement, she’ll always look back fondly on her time at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center.
“I’m really proud of the reputation we have in the community,” she said. “I think it’s a special place to receive health care.”
