46 Years, 1 Job
Caring for children is the only job Marlene Clouden, R.N., ever wanted
Then and now
In 1960, Marlene Clouden, R.N., graduated from The Allentown Hospital School of Nursing (above). In 2006, she was honored at our Star Celebration event for her 45 years of dedicated service (below).
Could you imagine doing the same job for 46 years? Marlene Clouden, R.N., wouldn’t have it any other way. Since Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and “Gunsmoke” was television’s hottest show, Clouden has been doing what she does best—caring for children.
When Clouden began her career in 1960 at The Allentown Hospital (now LVH–17th and Chew), she never dreamed she would be caring for newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in 2007. “When you begin a career, 46 years seems like a long way off,” she says. “But time has passed very quickly.”
Over the years, many things have kept this 67-year-old caregiver enthusiastic about her job. “I love the people I work with,” Clouden says. “I’ve been working alongside many of them for more than 20 years, and lasting friendships have formed.”
Clouden’s love of learning also has kept her career fresh. She still learns something new every day. It’s a characteristic instilled by one of her mentors, Forrest G. Moyer, M.D., the founder of our pediatrics department. “In neonatal nursing, the way we deliver care and the technology is constantly changing and improving,” she says. “I believe life is a constant learning experience.”
What makes her nursing career most rewarding are the relationships she builds with patients and their families. One relationship stands out among the rest. When Abby Bartholomew was born prematurely, Clouden got to know her father, who would have to raise the baby on his own. “We formed a special bond. I told him I wanted to adopt him as another son,” she says.
When Abby was well, Clouden got to know the rest of the Bartholomews. She and her husband, Russell, formed a special friendship with Abby’s grandparents, Gordon and Ann. Today, they travel the world together, and both families remain close.
Last year, Clouden reluctantly cut back her hours to spend more time with family. After more than four decades on the job, she still enjoys every moment she spends caring for children and doesn’t take anything for granted. “It’s still the most
awesome thing to see a baby being born, to care for that child and to be treated like I’m part of the baby’s family,” she says. “I’ve been blessed to do what I always wanted to do—what I love to do.”
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
