Blessing Hospital’s Ann St. Clair Retires After 53 Years of Service

QUINCY — Ann St. Clair, BSN, RN, CAPA, the longest serving employee on record at Blessing Hospital, retired on March 20 after 53 years of dedicated service. St. Clair’s career began in 1973, and she expressed feeling as though the years passed quickly due to her passion for nursing.

“When I was in junior high I said, ‘I seek to be a nurse,’ and that’s what I went after,” St. Clair said in a press release. “I wanted to be a nurse and take care of people. That’s what I have done.”

From Nurses Aide to Registered Nurse

Born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and raised in Quincy, St. Clair began her healthcare journey as a nurses aide at Good Samaritan Home for one year before joining Blessing Hospital. She initially served as a licensed practical nurse for 11 years before becoming a registered nurse in 1984. Throughout her tenure, she worked in various departments, including a medical-surgical unit for 27 years, the Surgery Recovery Room for 10 years, and most recently, the One Day Surgery team for the past 16 years.

Education and Certifications

St. Clair’s educational background includes graduation from Quincy High School and the Quincy School of Practical Nursing. She received her registered nursing education from the Blessing Hospital School of Nursing and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Quincy University in 1989. Since 2013, she has maintained Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA) status, demonstrating specialized expertise in outpatient anesthesia care. She is also a member of the American Society of Perianesthesia Nurses.

A Lasting Impact Beyond Patient Care

St. Clair’s commitment to caring extends beyond her professional duties. She dedicates her spare time to sewing Memory Bears for families of Blessing Hospice patients and crocheting blankets for newborns in the Blessed Beginnings families.

Adapting to Change and a Fond Memory

Over her five decades of service, St. Clair witnessed significant advancements in healthcare technology. “Computers. That’s the biggest one,” she noted, acknowledging the changes in procedures while emphasizing that the core of patient care remained constant.

One particular patient encounter remained vivid in her memory: “Years ago, we had a patient – a young man – with a disease that was really rare,” she recalled. “It got so he could not talk to us. But he would head like this,” St. Clair demonstrated, performing the American Sign Language sign for “I love you.”

Remaining Dedicated Through Challenges

Despite the challenges presented by the 2020 pandemic, which prompted some healthcare professionals to retire or change careers, St. Clair remained committed to her role. “During that time, I could have retired and there were many people that did. I didn’t have to stay. But I liked my job,” she stated.

She also valued the opportunity to care for people she knew within the community, stating, “They love it because they know you. You are someone they can connect with. I never hesitated to take care of people I knew.”

Advice for Future Healthcare Professionals

St. Clair’s parting advice for those entering the healthcare field is to embrace the role of educator alongside caregiver. “You have to teach people how to take care of themselves, how to be well,” she concluded.