CU Nursing - Fall/Winter 2021 - 27

27
A L UMNI
Denver had some very progressive
public health initiatives including
wonderful wellness clinics throughout
the city.
The NP program was set up as a semester
of didactic instruction and a
2-year practicum. I started the PNP
program in 1965. The program itself
seemed like an internship; it was
purposefully hands-on. Dr. Henry
Silver and Dr. Loretta Ford invented
and founded the Nurse Practitioner
profession and program, and they
were heavily involved in our education.
We had team meetings
like grand rounds once a month on
campus and Dr. Ford and Dr. Silver
would lead the discussions. Dr. Ford
gained full professorship in 1965
at CU Nursing, and Dr. Silver was a
faculty member at the CU School of
Medicine and would later serve from
1978-1991 as the school's Associate
Dean of Admissions.
professional nurses with assessment skills to fill the gaps in the care already
provided to the Colorado community.
Overall, the program was a game-changer for my life. As an NP I was able to serve
in public health and practice my favorite elements of intimate nursing.
Maxine Berlinger was also incredibly
memorable as a mentor. During
her 31 years with the University
of Colorado, she held many titles
including Chairperson of Maternal
Child Nursing, Assistant Dean of
Graduate Affairs, Assistant Dean
of Undergraduate Programming,
Coordinator of Student Affairs,
and Associate Director of Inpatient
Services. Maxine met with the NP
students to talk about our roles and
how we were feeling. Most of her
check-ins had nothing to do with
child care. They were more about
how to approach being an NP and
the intricacies of the new profession.
She, alongside Drs. Ford and Silver,
truly helped to mentor and support
us through the program.
One of the reasons the initial
NP program turned out to be for
pediatrics was because Dr. Ford
and Dr. Silver saw the need in the
community. They wanted to teach
Q: WHAT WAS YOUR NURSING CAREER LIKE?
While I was working towards the NP certificate and even after receiving it,
Denver was going through a war on poverty. NPs were sent to clinics across
the city. It was so controversial at the time that we had to wear different
uniforms depending on the clinic and areas we were sent. Sometimes I was
in my public health uniform or my nursing uniform, and sometimes we were
even told to wear our everyday clothes. I always kept all of my uniforms
in my car because
I didn't know if I
would need to travel
to another location
halfway through the
day. This was due to
the politics of the
time and the opinions
that some physicians
held about NPs. We
were called " super
nurses " and were
not as respected as
doctors. To bring
Nurse Practitioners
to fruition, it took
time and energy for
others in the medical
Dr. Ford leads one
of the monthly
discussion
sessions with
PNP students.
field to see that NPs could do what we were trained to do. Of course, there
was resistance, and I know there still is to this day, but some of the doctors
I worked with were happy to have me around.
The last 20 years of my career were spent at Rocky Mountain Pediatrics in
Lakewood. The doctors were accepting and very open to NPs working alongside
them. There were multiple NPs in that office throughout my time there.
A large reason for my retirement in December of 2018 was my husband's health.
The computer also made me crazy as I am not a tech person. To this day I still
have trouble with computers. Back then I was down to one day a week, so it was
an easy transition into retirement.
Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER OUR STUDENTS
AND YOUNG NURSES PRACTICING TODAY?
Nursing is a profession where you can make other people feel good and
yourself feel good. You can make a difference in the lives of folks in a way
no other profession can. Be proud of that. I have enjoyed everything I have
done in nursing and I'd advise nurses to find the path and specialty that is
meant for them. The NP program at CU Nursing was incredibly instrumental
in my happiness throughout my life.
CU Nursing - Fall/Winter 2021

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