May 12 marks the official end of National Nurses Week, but anyone who works in a medical practice can tell you: EVERY week is Nurses Week. They’re the glue helping hold our Internists Associated family together.
Our two longest-working nurses are Mindy Brown and Amy Combs. They’ve seen a lot of changes over the last two decades, not just in our practice but also in the medical field at large, but their care, patience and passion for what they do have not wavered.
Originally from Hartford City, Mindy knew nursing was for her in high school.
“I wanted to help people and take care of people,” she says. “There’s a lot of times you’ll have a patient say thank you for your time, and that just makes your day.”
Ditto, says Muncie native Amy, who was inspired by two beloved aunts who were nurses.
“I always admired what they did growing up,” she says. “I loved the idea that they helped people.”
Mindy and Amy might help a couple hundred people on a typical day at work, fielding patient questions and solving problems over phone and email, communicating with doctors and following up on labs—generally filling needs as they crop up unexpectedly and constantly.
“It’s nice because you get to know your people, you can follow their story. You’re a problem solver,” says Mindy—and a bit of a counselor. “You’re dealing with people’s lives.”
“I think nurses need to be compassionate, patient, flexible and passionate about what they do,” says Amy. “It’s an ever-changing field, and you have to roll with the punches.”
Mindy is married to her high school sweetheart and has two boys. Amy is also married with a son and daughter—and she’s careful to mention her two dogs. But after 20 and 21 years respectively, IA is part of their family too.
“We’re around each other more than our families,” laughs Mindy.
“The reason I have been here so long is that I love the small family atmosphere,” says Amy. “I have great coworkers, especially my fellow nurses, and I work with great doctors.”
The feeling is more than mutual. We shudder ever to think of this place without them.
“We have been so lucky to have Mindy and Amy for over two decades,” says Dr. Zelasko. “I remember the moments captured in these older pictures—celebrating the birth of Mindy’s son with a baby shower at the office (he’s graduating from high school this year!) and hanging out with Amy at staff parties at my parents’ home.
“Their hard work and dedication to our patients and the practice are a big part of why I came back to Muncie and why I know Internists Associated will continue to provide excellent patient care for years to come.”
Happy Nurses Week to Mindy and Amy and all our IA nurses. We thank you for all the ways you take care of us—patients and staff alike.