After 52 years of service to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Edie Vaughn, RN, retired from her role as a nurse in the Surgical Specialties unit at Vanderbilt University Hospital on Jan. 16.
Vaughn began her career at VUMC in the fall of 1972 working on a medical surgery unit in Medical Center North. She then transitioned to help open unit 9 South in the then newly built Vanderbilt University Hospital. She worked on the unit as it evolved from medical surgery, liver transplantation, otolaryngology and urology to what is now the Surgical Specialties unit.
She was the first nurse to receive a patient when the unit opened, and she was also involved in caring for the first liver transplant patient at VUMC in 1991.
She was honored at a retirement celebration on Jan. 13, surrounded by friends and colleagues.
“I had the great fortune of having Edie as a partner as did so many others. In the early years of starting the liver transplant program, she was an important part of the success. She was the perfect mix of professionalism, knowledge, kindness, and empathy in her interactions with everybody, and that continues to this day. You have served your patients and all of us in an amazing way. To say thank you simply doesn’t adequately express how much you’ve meant to your patients and all of us,” C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, Deputy CEO and Chief Health System Officer said at the gathering.
Vaughn knew from an early age she wanted to pursue nursing.
“I wanted to be a nurse since I was in first grade. I am from a little town in Kentucky that had a population of 600 people. On Sunday afternoons my parents would visit their friends and neighbors in the hospital. At that time, kids couldn’t go into patient rooms, so my sister and I would sit in the waiting room. I remember I loved the smell and was always looking for a nurse in that white uniform and cap. From that time on, I knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Vaughn said.
Her passion for patients set her apart as an example to others she’s taught throughout her career.
“When I was a brand-new nurse, Edie was a mentor who really helped me become the nurse I wanted to be. I always think, ‘What would Edie do?’ She emulated how to show compassion for people while also prioritizing clinical care,” said Sydney Bush-Foster, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, nursing education specialist in the Adult Ambulatory Division.
In addition to her regular responsibilities, Vaughn precepted nursing students and conducted tracheotomy workshops in different units throughout the hospital.
“Getting to know and help people’s lives is my passion, and being able to do so in a way that has allowed me to continue learning and teaching others is how I know that nothing could’ve suited my personality and my heart as well as being a nurse has,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn shared a few words of wisdom she’s practiced and imparted to individuals she’s worked with in her 52-year career:
- Every patient and family member that enters the hospital is our guest and should be treated as such.
- Never argue with the patient; the patient is always right.
- Listen to the patient because what they’re saying is going to be a key piece of information that’s going to impact their care later.
- Managing patients’ pain should be a top priority to ensure comfort.
In her retirement, Vaughn plans to volunteer once a week at the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute beginning in March.
“Vanderbilt has been a wonderful place to work; I always say this is my hospital. I’ve made so many lifelong friends over the years and 9 South is like a family. Continuing to volunteer here means I’ll still be able to pop up and see my ‘family’ and continue to learn and be part of what we do to help our patients here,” said Vaughn.