One of Cambridgeshire’s longest serving nurses has retired after more than four decades of service. Highlights include meeting the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the opening of the former Edith Cavell Hospital in 1998.
Mary Donaldson’s career has also seen her watch the new Peterborough City Hospital open in 2010, as well as working through the many challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic which began in 2020.
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I really wanted to be part of it,” she said. She played a key role in discharge planning during that challenging time.
“It was a scary time, but also one which saw incredible camaraderie and colleagues using their skills in so many different ways,” she said.
Mary started as an 18-year-old student nurse in September 1983.
“I always wanted to be a nurse. In fact, a fortune teller on Hunstanton beach told my mum when I was four years old that I would be a nurse,” said Mary.
Having completed her training in Peterborough, Mary’s first role was as a nurse in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department treating adults and children, before moving into general surgery.
She spent six years as a nurse specialist in nutrition and IV therapy, and then into management as a lead nurse, assistant general manager, before joining the site management team.
Mary has retired from her current role 41 years to the day she started, with many memories and still wearing the family heirloom buckle on her belt – which was worn by a great aunt over 100 years ago.
“It was left in her will to the next member of the family to qualify as a nurse and that was me,” said Mary.
“I have lots of great memories from working with many different teams and have loved taking on new and challenging roles.
“Having that wealth of nursing experience has definitely helped me with my current role as I know how difficult it can be when it is busy, and we want to make a difference to our patients and have their best interests at heart.
Mary says friendships forged from her training days and being part of social groups within the Trust including the Pillpushers Theatre Group in the Nineties – are lifelong.
Many of Mary’s friends and colleagues sent her off in style during a special lunch on the day of her retirement.
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust Chief Nurse Jo Bennis first worked with Mary in 1988 whilst she herself was training at Peterborough School of Nursing on Ward 11 at the former Edith Cavell Hospital.
Jo said: “She was a fantastic mentor and supported for me as second year student and taught me so much. I was then fortunate in my third year to work with Mary on Ward 6 (surgery). Since then, despite me leaving and returning, our paths have continued to cross.
“Mary is a loyal, dedicated nurse who always has the patients at the heart of everything she does. I want to personally thank her for her commitment and passion and the ‘spice’ she brings to our teams.
“I am pleased Mary is returning, as her organisational memory and skills are key to our ongoing journey.”
Alongside her busy working day, Mary has recently graduated from Henley Business School with a Master of Business (MBA) degree.
Keen not to waste those many years of experience, Mary will be returning to the Trust two days a week to support colleagues in the medicine division as lead nurse for capacity and flow.
