Joanie Morrison at her retirement party. (Photo credit: Ch’nell Amos)
After nearly five decades of unwavering service, Swedish Edmonds celebrates the retirement and 49 years of service of a cherished member of the health care team: Joanie Morrison. Joanie’s remarkable journey with Swedish is testament to her dedication and compassion, and part of a legacy that continues through her family.
In 1975, the then 18-year-old Joanie began her career at Swedish Edmonds (then called Stevens Memorial Hospital) as a labor and delivery LPN scrub nurse. After nursing school, she worked in many different units, including pediatrics, postpartum, and med surg, before a home in OB care in 1983.
Beyond her professional achievements, Joanie's personal life is interwoven with Providence Swedish Edmonds; all her children were born here, and her daughter, Jennifer, continues the family legacy of working at Providence Swedish.
More recently, Joanie witnessed a special moment during the birth of her grandson at Providence Swedish.
“What’s interesting and miraculous about the birth of my grandson is that the doctor who delivered my grandson is the son of the doctor who delivered my son,” said Joanie smiling widely recalling this special moment.
“Dr. Ron Bray delivered my son in 1986. Then, three years ago his son, Dr. Jeffrey Bray, delivered my grandson. These are the kinds of stories those of us who started at Stevens Hospital, and now Swedish Edmonds, have and cherish.”
In honor of Joanie’s retirement, we sat down with her for an intimate Q&A session to reflect on her remarkable career and the enduring impact she’s had on the community.
What was your favorite thing about your job?
Joanie: I got to go to birthday parties every day. I loved seeing the excitement of the new parents, and it's so fun to watch the dads. So those moments are what made my days very special.
What’s been the most memorable experience of your career?
Joanie: There are so many! I think assisting in the births of two triplet deliveries early in my career. In 1996, we had just moved from the second floor to the seventh floor to our remodeled new birth center. In the first week — it might have been the first or second day— we had a set of triplets born. We were still trying to find things in the new wing, but all three babies were born healthy.
Then about two years later, we delivered another set of triplets. Three girls, born naturally and all with ABC names. After that, we couldn't perform any more triplet deliveries, but I think those are probably some of the most exciting deliveries to be a part of. It was such a rare and joyful experience.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing? And what has kept you motivated over the years?
Joanie: I'll be honest. I like to keep it real, whatever I do. I've always been a caregiver. I was the fourth of seven children, and being the middle child, I was always, you know, there to pick up the little ones and help with the big ones. The big ones always took care of me. I always felt that whatever I did in life, it had to be about caring for people.
I wasn't someone who enjoyed college. A four-year institution wasn’t for me, but I wanted something that allowed me to do a lot of good in the world. What keeps me going is being able to do that. It’s good seeing happy parents, teaching new parents how to swaddle a baby, and those kinds of things are what's kept me going.
Q: Your daughter, Jennifer, also works at Providence Swedish. How does it feel to see her follow in your footsteps?
Joanie: It fills me with immense pride. Jennifer is an exceptional nurse and knowing that she shares the same passion for patient care that I do is incredibly rewarding. Our family has a deep connection to Providence Swedish—not only do we work here, but all my children were born here. It’s truly a part of our family’s fabric.
Q: How do you think your work has affected the community and the patients you've cared for?
Joanie: I can't tell you how many times I've been stopped in the grocery store by someone saying, “You were my nurse. You showed me how to wrap my baby. You showed me how to take care of myself. You made it okay for me to cry.” I think those things touched me the most. I enjoyed teaching parents how to take care of their newborns before they go home.
Some of the hardest moments were having a stillborn or fetal death, taking the pictures for the families, and then as they're looking at them, they're crying. One of the things I learned over my nursing career is that it's okay to cry with your patients. I didn't start my nursing career believing it was okay to cry with your patients if they were crying, but I learned over the years that they need that emotion, they need to see that empathy and that you care.
It’s about going beyond tasks and building relationships.
Q: What advice would you give to new nurses starting their careers?
Joanie: Two things: don’t be lazy and always remember the reason you chose this profession—to care for others. A veteran nurse once told me to pull up my big girl panties and get to work. It’s a 12-hour shift and we all must work together.
And care for patients the way you would want to be cared for. Do you want to be left in a dirty bed? Do you want someone to leave you in pain and forget your pain medication? Work hard, care about your patients, and care about your team because this is a team effort. We're open 24/7 and you all have to work together.
I would also hope that nurses and people in the hospital can continue to see how important our jobs are. That we are heroes. Not necessarily everyday heroes as it was during COVID, but it is a hard world and people respect what we do. And it’s not just us nurses. We couldn't do our jobs without all the other people that work in the hospital with us; from housekeeping to cooks to laboratory, we need all of them to make nursing happen.
Q: What are your plans for retirement? How do you plan to stay connected to the nursing community?
Joanie: Well, I’m part of the parties now! I know (my colleagues) very well, and we’ve been on Facebook together. I’ll be getting together with them for lunches and outings. So that's how we plan to stay connected.
Honoring a Legacy of Care
Joanie Morrison’s 49-year legacy at Swedish Edmonds has shaped the careers of many nurses and benefitted the lives of countless patients. As she steps into retirement, her spirit of care continues through her daughter Jennifer and the ongoing work of Providence Swedish.
Thank you, Joanie, for your incredible dedication and service. Congratulations and best wishes on your well-deserved retirement.
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