1954. That year, Eisenhower sat in the Oval Office, Elvis joined the armed services, Rear Window topped the box office, and Ms. Hettie Dean, an 18-year-old from North Carolina, came north to Princeton in search of work and her future. She found it at Princeton HealthCare System (PHCS), where over 58 years ago she began work in the Central Supply Department before transferring to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit, where she still works today as a Senior Nursing Assistant at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro (UMCPP). Ms. Dean can proudly say she holds the record for longest employee tenure at PHCS.
Throughout the years, Ms. Dean has shown her dedication not only through her steadfast service, but also through her support of the Annual Fund and, more recently, the Design for Healing campaign. Ms. Dean’s commitment is a tribute to the PHCS team and community. She commented, “I help out and continue to support because I enjoy the people I work with and the feeling I get giving back to others.”
Working each day with members of the community who come to the hospital for surgery, Ms. Dean looks forward to her years at UMCPP, stating, “I believe that the new hospital will offer many positive changes.” She added, “There are so many learning opportunities. [Though] it might take a little time to adjust to the size, it’s a beautiful thing to see come together.” Ms. Dean’s compassion, experience, and loyalty personify the spirit of top-quality community care PHCS strives for, and we are lucky to have her on our team.
Article as seen in Foundation News Fall 2012.