To be a health care provider is to answer a calling. For some, the journey to health care is a straight line; for others, the road is winding. This series features stories from ECU Health team members who took the winding road, but found the destination to be worth the effort.
When Deborah Rice, a staff nurse III on the palliative care unit at ECU Health Medical Center, was 13, her father died; this changed the trajectory of her adult life. “As a young girl, I knew I wanted to be a nurse,” Deborah shared. “But when my father was killed, I didn’t feel like I could put the financial burden on my mother, or leave her home alone with my younger brother, so when it was time for me to go to college, I didn’t go.”
Deborah got married and had children, and for 20 years she worked at a bank as a database analyst.
Then she learned her department was being let go, and she found herself at a crossroads. “My husband asked me if I still wanted to be a nurse, and I said yes.”
Around the same time, Deborah found herself dealing with the illness and death of several family members. “In 2008, my stepfather died from bone cancer, and from that point on for the next two to three years, we lost about five or six others in my family,” she said. “I had a hand in taking care of them when they were in their last days, and it just solidified for me that nursing was where I needed to be.”
With the support of her husband, children and mother, Deborah made the decision to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She first earned? her certified nursing assistant (CNA) and applied to nursing school at Edgecombe Community College, and at age 48, she graduated with her associate degree in nursing (ADN). She then went on to East Carolina University to get her bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). After graduation, Deborah knew exactly where she wanted to work. “When I was in nursing school, they were getting ready to build the Cancer Center, and I always said that was where I wanted to work.”
It took some time, but Deborah landed her dream job and now works in the palliative care unit. “It’s a special group that I work with,” she said. “It’s about helping a patient die with dignity and respect. Not everyone has a family, so we are there with those who are alone as well as those with lots of family. And we take care of the patient and their family, helping them get through this difficult time.”
The work is rewarding, but Deborah acknowledged it’s not for everyone. “It takes a special kind of person, somebody with compassion and empathy, because it’s not easy taking care of people who die and their families. But we talk with them and spend time with them, helping them accept what’s going on. You’ve got to love what you do, and our team does.” Not only do they love what they do, but the team supports each other when things get tough. “If we need to go into a room and cry, we go cry. We cry with each other, and we laugh and joke. We have to do all these things to survive.” That level of support is important to Deborah. “My team is very supportive. I wouldn’t work anywhere that didn’t have good teamwork, because that’s what gets you through the day. It encourages us to go forward and do and learn more.”
It’s equally gratifying to make connections with the patients and their families. “I tend to bond with my patients. I keep in touch with some of the family members. They’ll reach out to me from time to time to ask how I’m doing. It’s so great to build those relationships and help people through those times,” Deborah shared.
It’s clear when you talk with her that Deborah loves her work. “It’s been an experience of a lifetime, and it’s one I continue to learn and grow in. There’s never a dull moment. I love oncology and palliative or hospice care, and I keep learning and encourage everyone to keep learning. Love what you do and learn every chance you get.” She also was recently recognized as a Great 100 Nurse of North Carolina, yet another signifier that she is exactly where she should be.
To anyone thinking about starting their nursing career later in life, Deborah quickly offers reassurance. “I’m glad I did it. Even at 48 years old, I wouldn’t change a thing. I try to instill in everyone I meet that you’re never too old to go to nursing school. Even if school is challenging, I say keep going. And if you don’t succeed the first time, but it’s what you really want to do, don’t ever stop,” she said. “I hear people say they would go back to school but they’re 36 and will be 40 when they’re done. I say, you’re still going to be 40; you might as well put that time to good use.”
And Deborah has certainly put her time to good use. “Being a nurse has been the biggest blessing of my life,” she said. “My husband and my mom were my biggest fans. I wouldn’t be who I am today without my mom because she raised me from the time my father was killed. And if my dad was alive, he would be very proud of me. I did it for him as well because I knew he would want me to do it. It was not an easy thing to wait until I was 48, but it was well worth it.”