Reflections on what it means to be a Fred Hutch nurse

A lot has changed at Fred Hutch during the past 50 years, but one constant throughout our organization’s history has been the importance of our nurses. From outpatient to inpatient, from South Lake Union to our community sites, Fred Hutch nurses have provided compassionate care, contributed to pivotal research and supported each other along the way.

Who better to tell the story of nursing at Fred Hutch than the nurses themselves? We asked nurses from throughout the organization to reflect on what it means to them to be a Fred Hutch nurse and their most meaningful experiences — from the beginnings of Fred Hutch to today.

Nursing has played a central role in our research and clinical care since Fred Hutch’s inception 50 years ago. As the team at Fred Hutch worked tirelessly to achieve a cure for leukemia and other blood diseases through bone marrow transplantation in those early days, nurses were there during every step of the process.

I started working at Fred Hutch, known at the time as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, in 1987. At the time, it was a small 20-bed research unit in a building on First Hill, across the street from Swedish Hospital.

This picture of me and Dr. Don Thomas was taken just after he won the Nobel Prize in Medicine. He came to the unit that evening to specifically thank the nurses, who he called his “secret weapons.” I didn’t realize at the time what a momentous contribution Dr. Thomas had made and would make in medicine, and to the world at large. I am grateful to have found a home at Fred Hutch, to work alongside such great people, and to see how transplant and the research we’ve all been a part of has saved countless lives. I wouldn’t change a thing.

Grace has been an outpatient nurse at Fred Hutch since 1988 and, prior to that, took care of bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients at Swedish Hospital for five years. In the video below, Grace talks about some of the patients she took care of early in her career who continue to hold a special place in her heart.

“Working with dedicated and knowledgeable staff and taking care of our amazing patients, who teach me more than I am able to give, are what continue to inspire me all these years later,” Grace said. “These patients and memories from countless more, each with their own incredible story of courage, fortitude and resilience, are why I am proud and honored to be a Fred Hutch nurse.”

While our size and scope has changed since our early days on First Hill, our nurses’ commitment to keeping up with the rapidly evolving developments in science and clinical care has never wavered. As nurses from different departments and locations across Fred Hutch shared their reflections, one common theme in all of their responses is gratitude — for the patients they take care of, for the advances Fred Hutch is making and for each other.

Jennifer Bender, Skin/Skin Surgery

Working as a nurse at Fred Hutch means that I can provide great patient care, in a state-of-the-art cancer care center, surrounded by some of the most caring people I’ve ever met. Every day I get to collaborate with a brilliant team of clinicians who are some of the best and most innovative in the world.

I know the work we do makes a difference in the lives of our patients and I am so proud to have worked at Fred Hutch for more than 20 years. It is truly a privilege to be a part of the community here. Whether I am doing something as small as helping a patient achieve a smile on a hard treatment day or assisting to cure their cancer, I am fulfilled and so grateful to be part of the excellent care they receive.

Sarah Brown, Phase I Clinic

Fred Hutch patients are consistently the most resilient and grateful people I have met. To me, being a Fred Hutch nurse is having the support to comprehensively meet patient needs, rather than maintaining minimum standards.

Having the capacity to address patients as people rather than a task in a queue is what motivates me to remain in health care, despite the imperfections of the system. I am incredibly grateful to work at Fred Hutch and feel privileged to provide care for the patients we get to serve.

In the last 10 years that I have worked here, I’ve helped to facilitate clinical trials that are now the standard of care implemented across the world. Being a nurse at Fred Hutch makes me feel like I am a member of a proud legacy of individuals who all work together to provide compassionate, ethical and innovative cancer treatment.

I’ve been immensely impacted by my work with the BMT Long-Term Follow Up department. I love establishing relationships with patients and supporting them through all stages of their cancer journey. I’ve had transplant patients that I took care of in the hospital 12 years ago come back for follow up, and I know I was a part of saving their lives. Now in my role as the Rehabilitation Medicine nurse, I’m helping patients feel stronger, reduce pain and get back to all the things they loved to do before their diagnosis.

As a Fred Hutch nurse, I am part of a dedicated team of clinicians who are companions to patients and their families through a journey marked with uncertainty, where hope is often the only thing that feels certain. Every day, I witness the incredible strength, courage, grace and resilience of our patients. I receive encouragement when I connect with former patients returning for their annual evaluations — hearing about their challenges and victories. A former pediatric patient I cared for has now returned to Fred Hutch, not as a patient but as a clinician. It is incredibly rewarding to see former patients thriving beyond their treatment.

Being a Fred Hutch nurse means having the opportunity to care for patients and their families in a time of great need and getting to do so alongside world-renowned physicians and new research studies that lead us closer and closer to a cure.

Receiving the unexpected honor of a DAISY Award has been my most meaningful experience. I worked with a young patient and his mother as they navigated their way through his treatment with a stem cell transplant. This patient’s medical journey had been far from easy, and his mom had carried a very heavy load on her shoulders for a long time. She was often frustrated and very vocal about those frustrations, not having any family or friends close by to support her. To be honest, there wasn’t one specific thing I can remember that I would have thought made a lasting impact on her and her son, but that is what makes this experience so special to me. It was a reminder that the little things really aren’t so little — it’s the day-to-day things that can make a huge impact for others and make such a difficult time a little less scary — a kind smile, remembering a small detail, allowing people to process in whatever way they’re needing, which often only requires a listening ear. I often go back and read the nomination this patient’s mom wrote as a reminder that even the smallest acts can make a world of difference, and that’s exactly what led my heart to nursing in the first place.

I have always felt that Fred Hutch is an institution that values all of its employees as part of the team and believe that philosophy began with Dr. Thomas, who referred to nurses as his “secret weapon.” I’m proud to be associated with an institution that not only makes a difference in the lives of our patients today but at its core is working to change medicine and science for the better for everyone in the future.

There are lots of days that this job isn’t easy and there can be a lot of loss. So, while it’s wonderful to celebrate the patients who are successes, it’s really important to remember that even if a patient doesn’t beat their cancer, it doesn’t mean that we haven’t made a difference in the lives of that patient and their family. In fact, I think that our role is even more important in those instances.

It is an honor and a privilege to be a nurse at Fred Hutch. My time here has brought me joy, hope and connection. I am grateful for the opportunity to care for our patients and their families and caregivers. I value the relationships I have built with patients, families, caregivers and my colleagues. It has been the most meaningful experience to have the opportunity to be a moment of calm amidst the chaos, a moment of hope amidst the uncertainty and a moment of comfort amidst the concern.

Working as a nurse at the Fred Hutch Northwest clinic for more than seven years has been a rewarding experience. The patients we work with every day are always so grateful, even in their hardest times. What has been the most meaningful is the team of individuals that I have the pleasure of working with every day. From leadership, scheduling, nursing staff, physicians and the entire interdisciplinary family, I can say it is truly a one-of-a-kind team. The quality of care that each team member provides is exceptional. I am proud to be a nurse here at the Fred Hutch Northwest clinic!

Over my nearly 40-year career as a nurse implementing Fred Hutch protocols, for me, being a Fred Hutch nurse means being at the forefront of innovation. Working at Fred Huch has afforded me the opportunity and the privilege to make transitions: from inpatient to outpatient, from pediatrics to adults, from BMT to Immunotherapy and now to our Fred Hutch at EvergreenHealth community site. By being a Fred Hutch nurse, I have been able to start something new, and not just new to me but something new globally. It means always learning and implementing cutting-edge treatments, many that are developed here. It means working alongside other nurses who feel the exact same way.

I have witnessed dramatic changes in cancer treatment at Fred Hutch, and I feel great pride when someone asks me where I work. How I see the world and how I react to situations in my life continue to evolve for the better the longer that I am a nurse. What patients share with me and what they teach me adds to the richness of my life.

I’ve been here almost 10 years and have worked on several different teams, including BMT, Sarcoma and now Endocrine. Some of the nurses that I’ve had the chance to work here are among my most treasured friends — they are truly the most loving, compassionate and generous people on the planet. It’s been my honor to work here and something that truly brings me joy.

A gentleman I worked with while on the Sarcoma team is someone I continue to think about and be inspired by. He did not have a good prognosis and had chosen to use Death with Dignity rather than continue to experience ongoing pain and prolonged suffering. He would call me weekly just to check in, to give me updates about his travels, his yard that he cared for so meticulously, his social life with family and friends. One week, he called me to say he’d picked a date, he had declined and recognized that it was time; his wife had passed the year prior, the Seahawks had won a Super Bowl title, and he felt he was ready. He was heroic, thoughtful and really, really funny. He made me realize we should all be so lucky to go on our own terms, and I was incredibly grateful to have been there for his final phone call to say goodbye. What a privilege it was to have been his nurse.

Being a nurse at Fred Hutch means that I work with an amazing team of nurses that support me, laugh with me and share with me all the ups and downs that come with working in health care and oncology.  I learn from each of them in different ways. Everyone brings their own perspective, backgrounds and experience that helps us all give great nursing care.

My most meaningful patient experience was being a part of the Pancreas Cancer Specialty Clinic (PCSC) multidisciplinary team. Each week I worked with an incredible team of providers and professionals who were willing to teach me new techniques, give me loads of disease information, and support me while I worked to support patients and families. I was never told to stop asking questions or stop having overwhelming feelings. I learned so much about how one team can support a patient in their worst moment. It forced me to stretch and grow as a nurse and a human. I will be forever grateful for the PCSC team and PCSC patients I learned from.

Being a Fred Hutch nurse allows me to perform as a nurse to the best of my capabilities, advocate for patients and provide the best care possible. My most meaningful patient experience was when, after taking care of a patient, they needed a moment to express some personal difficulties they were going through. And just by being a listening ear and providing words of encouragement, the patient’s response was, “Thank you for listening to me, your energy brings peace when someone is going through a tough time.”