BANGOR – Joanne Nevells is this year’s recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award at Eastern Maine Medical Center. For Nevells, being a good nurse means hard work, loyalty and dedication.

“In my job I’ve experienced births, deaths, and everything in between. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she said.

Nevells’ nursing career spans 38 years. She attended nursing school at the former Eastern Maine General School of Nursing, and then got her first job. She later moved to South Carolina with her husband, who was in the military, but returned to Bangor and EMMC.

“This place has been part of my life since 1965.” Nevells said. “If I wasn’t working here, then I was having babies here.”

Through the years she has witnessed many changes in nursing.

“When I first graduated from nursing school we cooked a lot, and used an autoclave,” Nevells recalled. “Now nursing is more technical.”

She likes the fact that nurses today have more independence and that they are well-respected, but she is quick to point out that the basics of the job – caring and giving – have not changed.

One thing that has changed, though, is the patients. Nevells said that it seems they are much sicker and, in many cases, require high-skilled care. Also, she remembers that people used to come to the hospital three or four days before their scheduled surgery and stay on through recuperation.

“Now we get them up and moving as soon as possible because that is what is best for them,” she said.

Nevells loves being a nurse and she encourages others to give the profession serious consideration. But she emphasized that the profession is not as glamourous as depicted on TV or in the movies.