50 Years and Counting: Ellen Buhr Shares Why She Stays in Healthcare

Ellen Buhr, RN, can’t exactly pinpoint why she decided to pursue a career in healthcare 50 years ago.

“I never played nurse as a kid, and I never was a candy striper (a teenage volunteer at a hospital),” she said. “I do remember one time my dad took me shopping, and I got the Visible Woman.”

For those not familiar with this toy, the Visible Woman had a clear plastic shell that showed a woman’s bones, organs, blood vessels and more to teach kids about anatomy.

That toy may have been the only hint that Ellen would one day work in the healthcare field.

Earlier this year, Phelps Health staff surprised Ellen and recognized her for being employed in the healthcare sector for half of a century.

“My coworkers have held two surprise parties for me. Once, when I turned 60 years old, and this year, when I celebrated 50 years in healthcare,” she said.

Ellen, who is 72, is a quality analyst with the Clinical Quality and Measurement (CQM) Department at Phelps Health. In this role, she works with data and reviews charts for new mothers and babies as well as sepsis charts for hospitalized patients. (Sepsis is a serious medical condition caused by the body’s extreme response to an infection, often leading to organ dysfunction.)

Along with her coworkers, Ellen helps ensure the organization and employees are following healthcare regulations and works with staff to prepare them for surveys from The Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).

50 Years Ago

Ellen’s journey in healthcare began when she completed a 3-year nursing program at Barnes Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis. She received a nursing diploma and went on to work at Barnes Hospital from 1973 to 1977.

Over the next several years, Ellen and her husband, Lee, moved around the country, from Wyoming to Kansas to Texas. Ellen was employed as a nurse at different hospitals in those states before moving to and settling down in Rolla with her family in 1984.

She worked for a home health agency in Waynesville until March 1985, when she got a job at Phelps Health (then Phelps County Regional Medical Center).

She was a nurse in the Pediatrics and Medical-Surgical units before moving to the Medical Oncology floor at the hospital. She became a certified oncology nurse, a charge nurse and finally the director of the unit for a few years.

“I remember having up to 45 patients on the Medical Oncology floor,” Ellen said.

In March 2005, she became a nurse in Acute Medical Services, and a year later, she joined the CQM Department, where she has been ever since.

What's Different

In her 5 decades working in healthcare, Ellen has seen plenty of changes, most notably the move from paper to digital records.

“The introduction of the computer system was a big change,” Ellen said, recalling how she had to practice her typing skills.

Ellen also has noticed how the relationship between patients and their care teams has shifted throughout her career.

“When I first started, the patient didn’t question what the nurse or doctor said. Now, patients are more interested in and better understand their health,” she said.

Nowadays, patients better know the reasons they are taking certain medications. “Years ago, I remember asking patients why they were taking medicines, and they said, ‘Because my doctor told me to,’” she said.

Another change Ellen has seen over the years is different staffing structures.

“There were no dedicated teams to help when a patient coded (when a patient needs urgent, lifesaving measures),” Ellen recalled. “It was just you and your fellow nurses, and you’d call in the doctor when needed. We were supportive of each other and helped one another get through the day together.”

Why She Stays

“Healthcare is very rewarding,” Ellen said as to why she continues to work in this industry. “I like what I do and the people I work with. That’s what kept me in nursing: My love for teaching and for patient care.”

Seeing patients improve and go home was always a rewarding moment for Ellen.

The mental stimulation her job requires and the social interactions she has with her colleagues are additional reasons she wants to stay in her role.

“I need to keep my mind busy,” she said, adding that she has no plans to retire anytime soon.

Ellen enjoys working at Phelps Health and her coworkers are a big part of why she continues to work.

“It’s a great work environment. The people are professional, and you have the support and tools you need to do your job,” she said.

Ellen added that during her tenure at Phelps Health, she has found administrators, especially in nursing, to be supportive of her.

Advice for Future Nurses

One of Ellen’s biggest pieces of advice for anyone considering a healthcare career, especially as a nurse, is to remember the difference you can make.

“You have the ability to make a person’s day better,” she said. “Also, try to keep your patients and their families informed. The more they know, the better they get.”

Nurses also should strive to be advocates for their patients, Ellen said.

“I like to think of nurses as patients’ last line of defense. So, nurses should feel comfortable speaking up,” she said.