At 80 years old, Laboratory Aide Betty Plough has no plans to call it quits any time soon. A pillar at Munson Medical Center, Betty has served her community for many decades. And the stories she can tell are a poignant reminder of just how far we’ve advanced.
Betty’s first stint at Munson began at the switchboard in the mid-1960s, during a time when cords connected phone calls. At that time, the facility that would eventually become Munson Medical Center was still known then as the James Decker Munson Hospital, and Betty was working part time in the evenings.
“It was so small that the doctor’s entrance was a little side entrance right off the doctor’s parking lot. And when they came in the door, there was an electronic board that was maybe 24x24 (inches),” Betty says. “They would push a button that would light up a light, and that’s how we knew who was in the hospital. That’s how few doctors there were.”
Betty eventually transitioned to the nearby State Hospital – first as a hearings coordinator – until reaching retirement age in 2002. Since then, she’s been right back at Munson Medical Center in a variety of clerical and administrative positions.
“I have always loved working in the hospital atmosphere,” explains Betty, who currently works in Munson Medical Center’s pathology department, helping to prepare pathology reports for diagnosis. “I love being a part of the hospital because you’re helping people. You’re taking care of people. And it should be taken seriously and done well because you possibly have someone’s life in your hands. Even if you’re not doing the actual care, all this lab work can determine what kind of care they’re going to get for whatever ails them. It’s got to be accurate. I love it.”
Betty’s role has changed throughout the last couple of decades, but even in her 80s, she has no plans to retire. “I don’t have any plans on leaving until I can’t do it anymore. I love the work. And I love to work,” Betty says. “It’s just rewarding to me to be here and to be able to do something that helps out.”
Betty’s co-workers don’t ever want to see her leave either. Her supervisor, Emily Summers, Manager of Laboratory Services tells us that her team is “so grateful to have her on the team for patient safety and quality. More so, Betty is a fun person to be around. I always hear laughter around Betty’s workspace with the team. Age has nothing on Betty, and we would all be so lucky to be blessed with her beauty and wit.”
We are so grateful for Betty’s continued commitment to our communities. Thank you, Betty!