Peterborough nurse retires after four decades of dedicated service

One of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust’s longest-serving nurses has retired after four decades of dedicated service.

Mary Donaldson retired from her role at the Peterborough-based trust Trust 41 years to the day after she first started her career as an 18-year-old student nurse in September, 1983.

“I always wanted to be a nurse,” Mary recalled. “In fact, a fortune teller on Hunstanton beach told my mum when I was four years old that I would be a nurse.”

Having completed her training in Peterborough, Mary’s first role was as a nurse in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department.

From there, she moved into General Surgery, spending six years as a nurse specialist in nutrition and IV therapy.

That was followed by a move into management, where she worked as a Lead Nurse and Assistant General Manager before joining the Site Management team.

“I have lots of great memories from working with many different teams and have loved taking on new and challenging roles,” she noted.

As well as fulfilling a host of different roles, Mary has rubbed shoulders with royalty, worked through a worldwide pandemic, and seen hospitals come and go during her 41 years of service.

“Some of my career highlights include the opening of the former Edith Cavell Hospital, when I met our late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and the opening of the new Peterborough City Hospital.”

Mary, who played a key role in discharge planning during the pandemic, remembered the onset of Covid as a “scary time”

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I really wanted to be part of it,” she said.

The popular care-giver was still wearing the family heirloom buckle on her belt – which was worn by a great aunt over 100 years ago – on the day she retired.

“It was left in her Will to the next member of the family to qualify as a nurse,” she said, “and that was me!”

Many of Mary’s friends and colleagues came together to send her off in style with a special lunch on the day of her retirement.

Chief Nurse Jo Bennis, who first worked with Mary while training to become a nurse in 1988, described Mary as a “fantastic mentor” with clear “commitment and passion.”

“Mary is a loyal, dedicated nurse who always has the patients at the heart of everything she does,” she added.

Mary has recently graduated from Henley Business School with a Master of Business (MBA) degree. With more free time to enjoy, she now plans to do a lot more travelling, and has already pencilled in a trip to the Far East for later this year.

However, Mary’s colleagues won’t have to worry about not seeing her anymore.

The devoted nurse will be returning to the Trust two days a week to support colleagues in the Medicine Division as Lead Nurse for Capacity and Flow.

“I am pleased Mary is returning,” Jo said, “as her organisational memory and skills are key to our ongoing journey.”