Originally published in the Williamson Herald —

Paula List, nursing scheduling coordinator at Williamson Health, thought she was headed to a meeting Friday morning in the organization’s boardroom. Turns out it was a surprise congratulations from family and co-workers on the actual anniversary of her hire on Feb. 14, 1975.

Williamson Health’s longest-serving current employee, Paula was hired as a nurse at the original Williamson County hospital at 1320 W. Main St., now home to the Williamson County administrative complex. She later transferred to the current Williamson Medical Center hospital site when it opened at 4321 Carothers Pkwy. in August 1986.

Paula’s high school sweetheart and husband, Pete, and her grandson, Gabriel, joined in Friday’s celebration where she was honored with a bouquet of 50 roses and a cake.

“We had been married for two years, and we lived so close to the Williamson hospital, so it seemed like the logical place for me to work,” she said.

Paula began at Williamson Medical Center as an EKG tech while still attending nursing school at the former UT Nashville. She sat at the edge of the hospital’s six-bed critical care unit (CCU) and earned valuable experience early in her career. After graduation she was one of only a handful of RNs while LPNs and techs filled out the nursing team.

“Some of you may remember Miss Wallace, an older nurse, and she decided she wanted to work the floors, so I went to the critical care unit,” Paula remembered. She stayed in the CCU for many years, progressing into a clinical coordinator role but ultimately moving up to day shift nursing supervisor.

“I cried when I left the unit because I felt like I was leaving my family,” she recalled. “But after I got used to my new position, I really enjoyed it because I had a picture of the whole hospital and how I could make a difference.”

Today Paula is Williamson Health’s staffing coordinator who oversees API scheduling and float pool. She also monitors safety restraints and enters charges for both medication injections and infusions.

“The changes I’ve seen since I started nursing are unbelievable,” Paula said. “But I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I just love the people I work with and the good feeling of being able to help people.”