After nearly 20 years of walking HopeWest patients and their families through some of the most challenging moments of their lives, Alice McBurney, hospice nurse, has retired. Alice’s contributions to HopeWest and the families she served underscore the value of compassionate care and the impact caregivers have on our community. But for Alice, she was simply “doing what she loved.”
“For patients and families to allow me to be part of a very vulnerable and intimate time in life was a great honor,” said Alice. “To be able to help them embrace death as a natural part of life, just as birth, is something I’ve been grateful to be able to do.”
Reflecting on her career, Alice says she couldn’t imagine having done anything other than nursing. She shared feelings of gratitude for the experiences she’s had throughout her career. Alice says that even though there is sadness, providing support and enabling family members to care for loved ones in ways they never thought possible has been fulfilling.
Alice knew nursing was her calling as early as 8 years old. She would tend to her dolls as if they were her patients. By high school, all her courses were intentionally selected in preparation for nursing school. Early in her career, she worked at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, where she found her niche in Coronary Care.
Later, when she and her husband settled in Montrose, Alice worked in home health until an opportunity with HopeWest came along. As an organization that aligned with her core values and clinical expertise, she knew HopeWest was where she belonged.
“Alice has touched countless lives and has served as an instrumental member of our team for many years,” said Kelly Thompson, Program Director at HopeWest. “We will miss her wisdom and spirit.”
While Alice admits she often became attached to her patients, she finds peace in knowing they remain in the kind, caring, and capable hands of her HopeWest colleagues.
“Alice’s calm and positive manner in teaching and mentoring has helped nurture countless new nurses in our community,” said Holly Duensing, Clinical Manager at HopeWest. “She has touched the lives of so many with her guidance and compassion. Though her absence leaves a deep void, her influence and presence continue to live on through those she inspired.”
Like Alice, our HopeWest nurses remain dedicated to delivering exceptional care and continue to serve the most vulnerable and at-risk individuals in our communities. May is Nurse’s Appreciation Month; thank you to all our RNs who work tirelessly to ensure our patients, and their families are cared for.
