Aware of the old saying, "nurses eat their young," Seaverson goes out of her way to inspire and build up new members of the profession.

"I see so many young nurses coming out of school with so many questions about their skills and nursing knowledge," she said. "It's our role as more seasoned nurses to help them develop self-confidence, so they can show their patients they do know what they're doing. We need to be role models, to practice with them and prepare them to go into the patients' rooms in a way that inspires trust."

Seaverson is unendingly patient with new nurses, acknowledging their need for ongoing support and guidance.

"When a novice nurse comes up to me and says, 'I have a really dumb question for you,' I'll let the nurse know there's no such thing as a dumb question," Seaverson said. "What is dumb is going ahead with a nursing intervention without asking the question and making a mistake that harms a patient."

While Seaverson has found her niche in med/surg nursing, many of the novices she mentors want to spread their wings and move on to other specialties.

"I encourage them to follow their hearts," she explained. "I've mentored so many nurses who have gone into almost every clinical area you can think of - critical care, cardiology, obstetrics, rehabilitation, emergency, ambulatory care and home care. When I see 'my nurses' go out and function just fine on specialty units, I'm proud we've given them the basics and they were able to grow from there."

Changing Field

Adept at managing change, Seaverson has weathered many new trends.

"The acuity of both medical and surgical patients is much higher today than it was when I started out in nursing," she said. "We're fortunate to have good nurse-to-patient ratios here at Beloit Memorial, our nursing leaders listen and they try hard to respond to our needs. That makes our nursing environment a good one, which is reflected in the great patient care we deliver.

"Med/surg nursing has changed over the years, and I believe our specialty is more respected than ever today."

A lifelong learner, Seaverson has been a role model for her two grown sons. Gregg went on to earn a BS in chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, and Steve recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal law from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.

"Never think you know it all," she cautioned. "The healthcare field is constantly changing; there are always new policies and procedures, and you need to keep up on the most recent evidence-based practice if you're going to provide the best possible care for your patients."

Sandy Keefe is a frequent contributor to ADVANCE.