Randolph County nurse celebrates 50 years of helping others

RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — One after another, colleagues went up to hug Gloria Johnson in celebration of her career milestone.

Johnson has worked as a licensed practical nurse at Randolph Health for 50 years.

“I’m a little overwhelmed with it, but I really don’t feel like I’ve been here hardly five or ten years,” she said.

Johnson started her career in 1974 shortly after graduating from Randolph Community College’s nursing program.

She’s worked in the cardio diagnostics department for the entire time she’s been at Randolph Health.

“If you’re having a bad day, you can’t bring it to work with you … because you’re dealing with people that are sick … They’re anxious, they’re nervous and you’re here to alleviate all that,” she said.

Johnson has seen several changes over the years from technology to staffing.

She says she has trained every employee who has come through her department since 1974.

Johnson says being able to do this for so long comes down to teamwork throughout the whole hospital.

“I cannot think of a day that I have actually dreaded coming into work because I’ve always worked with wonderful people,” she said.

Johnson says Randolph Health’s flexibility has allowed her to balance a career with taking care of her family.

She became its first part-time flex employee in 1993.

Johnson has maintained that schedule ever since and has no immediate plans to stop working.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.