After 51 years nursing patients, this P.E.I. woman is retiring
CBC
A P.E.I. woman who loved every moment of her career is leaving her job after 51 years with the same amount of passion as when she first started.
"I get back more than I give and I love it," said licensed practical nurse Sharon Drake.
From the time she was five years old, she knew she wanted to get into nursing.
Drake credits her upbringing to her caring nature, noting she was the child of an English war bride and a father who served in the Canadian army.
The couple met in England and moved to P.E.I., where they had nine children.
Drake's first day was Sept. 15, 1971, at the provincial sanatorium, where she also lived in the nurse's residence. From her first day on the job, Drake knew it was the career for her.
"It was the most incredible feeling I could ever have," she said.
It was a feeling she maintained throughout her career. She credits her passion to always being curious about things, upgrading her education and the desire to learn from her colleagues.
While technology has helped improve health care, Drake said it has had some unintended side effects.
"We need more people that have compassion and the soft skills … unfortunately, I feel technology has kind of crowded out the humanized care that we give," she said.
Drake said at the end of every day, she'd reflect on her work and what she could have done differently — going through a checklist, of sorts.
"How did I treat them? How could I have done anything better? Could I have been more supportive to them or whatever?" said Drake.
Thursday marks her final day of work.
In retirement, she plans to spend more time helping support her family, especially her five grandchildren.
The Saskatchewan NDP's pace in 2025 has been frenetic.
If you’re ever walking down this east Hamilton neighbourhood during the holiday season, there’s a festive house that just might grab your attention.
It was just a few months ago that U.S. President Donald Trump told the world he doesn’t want Canadian cars.
Flu cases across Canada are on the rise and may push hospitals to their limits over the holidays and into the new year, leading health officials in regions across the country to warn people not to visit emergency rooms unless it's absolutely necessary.
More than 30 years after Canada's military allowed women to serve in combat roles, it's now specifically designing uniforms and body armour to fit their bodies.
The holiday season has arrived in Thunder Bay, and that means reduced hours, or closures, for businesses, city offices, and other amenities.
As Toronto’s food scene continues to grow, some in the industry say the pool of professional chefs hasn’t kept up with demand.
Police have charged a truck driver from the Hamilton area in a hit-and-run crash that killed a tow truck operator who had been stopped while helping a driver on the side of Highway 401 outside Woodstock, Ont.
Power has been restored to most of Haines Junction after a problem earlier on Monday at the local generating station.
A 56-year-old man will return to court on Tuesday for a charge of second-degree murder, laid in a case London police have called an act of femicide.
The chairman of the committee leading Newfoundland and Labrador's independent review of the Churchill Falls memorandum of understanding with Quebec is backing the impartiality of his three-man team.
The province has taken a major step toward restarting its onshore natural gas industry.
Allan Legere, serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Alberta, has been denied a request for full parole.