The Best Nurse Ever
- Sara Tucker
- Oct 28
- 1 min read
What would you do if your guidance counselor advised you to abandon your artistic ambitions in favor of a “sensible” career? One that involves panty hose, white oxfords, and the handling of bodily fluids? If you were a high school girl in 1972, chances are you would say, “Oh, okay,” and get on with it. If you were Gloria Baker, you would make up your mind to be the best nurse ever. Gloria entered nursing at a time when doctors ruled, patients expected backrubs, and recordkeeping was done by hand. Nurses were crowned with starched white caps anchored with bobby pins. Over the next five decades, from the hills of Vermont to the remote villages of Nicaragua, she cared for all kinds of people in all stages of life, from first wail to last gasp. Some she loved, and some she didn’t. Never mind: In nursing, everyone is supposed to get equal treatment. It's a job that requires a big heart and an even bigger sense of humor. In writing down the highlights, Gloria offers us—no matter what our occupation—lessons in the art of being human.
