Amber Beaudette with her 40 year award.
Amber Beaudette celebrated 40 years working at the Big Sandy Medical Center. She started there in 1976 as a brand new RN out of college wearing her white uniform dress, white stockings and shoes and of course her RN hat. Amber, at that time, was the youngest employee being only 20 years old. She loved her job then and still does today, with no plans yet for retirement. Jerry Beaudette was the administrator and a year later when she married Randy Beaudette, he would also become her brother-in-law.
Dr Patrick Murphy was a fabulous physician and taught Amber many things starting when she was a nurses aid in High School.He was one of the reasons she wanted to become a nurse. At BSMC there was lots of patient care done and very little charting or book work. Now 40 years later the government mandates everything be computerized and lots of reporting to many agencies, so unfortunately that means less time with the patients.
Helen Richter and Elizabeth Martin were recruited as RN midwives since many babies would be born at BSMC. In 1985 Ross Patrick Beaudette would be the last baby born there. Surgery was also done at BSMC, with it not being uncommon that parents would bring all their children on the same day to have their tonsils removed.
Amber stated ‚"I hadn't worked very long when Penny Kulbeck was leaving and told me that I was now the new Director of Nursing."
Many things have changed in 40 years, from a nine bed hospital which in 1985 added a 22 bed skilled nursing home. There now was a new admin Jay Toth but soon Harry Bold would be administrator and he stayed for many years. Recently Leah Grubb Griffith would be the administrator. The hospital originally never even had an Emergency Room and now it is used often in evenings and on weekends. The Medical Guild ladies have done so much for BSMC. They purchased our first heart monitor and the list is endless of their contributions. The community is also very supportive. There have been many providers over the years since Dr. Murphy retired. BSMC is now a critical access hospital and is feeling the nursing shortage.
Amber has worked hard over the years to keep up with all the changes that are happening. Amber has two sons Grant and Ross, and a daughter-in-law Sandy. Amber is active on the Big Sandy Ambulance and teaches CPR. On her time off Amber spends time in Missoula enjoying her grandsons Hudson and Owen.
