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Joanne first became a registered nurse in 1962 after graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing. “There was a six-week tour through the operating room and that’s when I decided that perioperative nursing is what I really wanted to do,” she says.

Next year, Pat Thornton will celebrate a milestone career achievement: Her 50th year in nursing. Pat’s career started in 1976 when she graduated from Clayton Junior College with her ASN and went to work as an RNFA private surgical nurse.

It’s probably safe to say that very few if any perioperative professionals have had a career like Johnny Kotcher’s. Johnny’s perioperative journey started when he joined the Army in 1981 and scored well in healthcare and medical on the aptitude test.

You might not have ever thought about the parallels between a perioperative team and a hockey team, but Michael Rempel sees similarities. Michael grew up playing hockey in Brooklyn, N.Y., and when he got his first exposure to the OR while in nursing school, he observed the similarities right away.

Some people know at a really young age what they want to be when they grow up. Jeff Keane says he knew he wanted to be a nurse when he was in preschool.

Most successful people, regardless of their career, can point to a mentor who helped and encouraged them at a critical juncture. Ruth Plotkin Shumaker, MS, BSN, RN, CNOR is no exception.