Constructing relationships: Diabetes training a part of Shellie Berry’s 45+ years of nursing | Native Information

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During her first year in nursing, she worked the night shift – 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. – in pediatrics and on the medical-surgical second floor in what is now the oldest part of the hospital.

“I made $ 3.64 an hour … I thought I was making a lot of money,” said Berry. “But our (monthly) car payment was $ 75 and our house was $ 200.”

The job of an RN was different back then. They had more cleaning jobs and since there were no hospital pharmacists on duty at night, the night shift nurses mixed up some of the medicines they needed.

Berry moved to the day shift for the next two years – from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. – and then joined the Platte Valley Clinic in July 1978. After Hranac retired on July 30, 2020, Berry returned to hospital but as a nurse in a medical clinic.

Her passion is helping people lead healthier lives. One possibility is her 12 years as a certified diabetes education specialist. Overall, she has been involved in diabetes education for more than 40 years.

She helps the Diabetes Referral Network of Buffalo County Community Health Partners bring information about signs and symptoms of diabetes and website resources to the public.

“We did a lot of screening fairs prior to COVID,” Berry said, adding that she also appears on KGFW Radio’s “Talk of the Town” once a month.