TRIPLER ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, Hawaii -- There aren't many people who have proof of their dedication with a track record of 50 years, but Inez Remigio, licensed practical nurse, does. Remigio celebrated her fiftieth year of federal service to the nation and Tripler Army Medical Center, Nov. 27.
Born Jan. 29, 1940, Remigio started her medical career shortly after finishing school. After completing a 12-month training program, she started working for the State of Hawaii, eventually finding work at Tripler after following a friend's suggestion.
"So much has changed," she said, pointing out a few major things she'd seen over the years.
The biggest change she's seen? The advances in technology.
At one time the message system was with the use of tubes. If you had a message for another department you would place it in a tube with the department's number and the tube would be routed to them through vacuum piping. Laughing, she recalled how the tubes would get backed up and no messages would get to anyone.
Remigio's first assignment was with the female surgical ward. Single and working the midnight shift she soon decided that the hours were not for her. Asking for a change, she was given the chance to work in various wards. Remigio worked in the surgical clinic, adult medicine clinic, immunizations, the emergency room, podiatry, proctology, and finally dermatology, where Remigio stayed for more than 40 years.
"People ask me when I going to retire and I simply say, 'not yet,'" she explained. "At the age of 71, I (still) enjoy coming to work."
Thinking back over the other changes of the hospital Remigio says one of the more interesting changes was the pharmacy robot. The robot would deliver medications after being programmed routes around the hospital. Other memorable changes were the locations of the wards and the moves they've made. The emergency room was once located were the VA clinic is. The patient would need to be wheeled up the hill to surgery each time. The command suite was the original library and the morgue used to be on the first floor.
"Medicine, instruments, procedures and technology have helped so many patients over the past 20 to 25 years," Remigio explained. "The most memorable thing over the last 50 years (will) remain to be the staff and doctors."
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