A NURSE'S HEART

02/05/2010

On Friday, January 15, 2010, Fern Lyndaker retired from a respected nursing career at Lewis County General Hospital.  Fern remembers, “It has been a most rewarding career for me here because as a nurse, I had the opportunity to walk with people during their most vulnerable times. These are times that are extremely stressful for patients and families, so I’ve been able to feel like I’ve made a difference in so many people’s lives.”

Fern attended high school and graduated from Beaver River Central School and then married Chris Lyndaker in 1966. “The amazing thing about my journey is that all of my closest girlfriends from high school went on to be nurses.” Nursing, Fern thought, was certainly nothing she would like to do, and she never considered it. After marrying Chris, they were blessed with two girls, Bethany Schindler and Leann Dunckel. Once her children had grown and the youngest had gone to kindergarten, Fern wondered what she would do with her time. Shortly thereafter, she began working at an Adult Home in Glenfield. The folks at the home praised her kindness and encouraged her to consider a career in nursing. She took their word and began training as a Certified Nursing Assistant. After seeing the rewards and nature of the work, she went on to BOCES to gain her license in Practical Nursing in 1978. In May of 1981, she began her career at Lewis County General Hospital as an LPN on the Medical Surgical floor. Soon after, she moved to the Intensive Care Unit, the place she would retire from a short 29 years later. Still with the desire for more education, Fern continued to Jefferson Community College and in 1985 graduated with her RN. Following her graduation, she worked at Lewis County General Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit as an RN. In 1990, Fern completed her BS in Nursing from SUNY Utica-Rome. Also, in 1990, Fern began as an RN at Samaritan Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit, but returned to LCGH in 1999 as the Nursing Supervisor. In 2001, she became Head Nurse in the ICU, where she worked loyally until her retirement. “There are so many shining stars in this hospital, like the Bible speaks about, who go about their responsibilities faithfully, without complaining, and with the greatest desire to be helpful and to be shining stars for their patients and families. What a great place to work for and a great community to work in,” Fern said.

“There were times in the ICU when I saw a loved family member during those last days or hours of life and their families come and sit with them. You can’t put it into words. It’s such a beautiful picture of humanity at its best. Sometimes there are patients with no family and the nurse who is with them actually becomes their family during those last moments.  This is the heart of the nurse and of LCGH.”

Fern set sail within days after her retirement for a well-deserved 14-day luxury vacation to the Caribbean. She looks forward to the future as a time not to be dictated by deadlines or routine. She says, “Events have always driven my life. This is the first time in my life when I can stop and be intentional about discovering who it is that God created me to be and what it is that God has planned for me to do yet in my lifetime.”

Photo: Fern Lyndaker, RN BS, Retired ICU Head Nurse, LCGH