From left: Newly retired nurse, Blondelle Mullin, in the company of colleagues and friends Eleanor Blackett and Dr. Wendy Sealy, Chief Nursing Officer; during her retirement dinner held at Almond Bay Catering.
After 40 years in the nursing profession, Blondelle Mullin has officially retired.
Last Saturday night, the registered nurse, midwife, critical care nurse, community health nurse and manager/administration, was treated to a farewell dinner attended by scores of her colleagues, as well as family and friends, at Almond Bay Catering, Hastings, Christ Church.
Starting her nursing career as a student nurse in 1976, Mullin completed her training, going on to work at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in several departments for 24 years, with a love for Surgical Intensive Care Nursing.
Mullin went on to work in the community as a community health nurse at various Polyclinics, until her retirement. Her service as a community nurse was also evident through her involvement as part of the medical team at various international and regional conferences, local sporting and cultural events. During her nursing career, she also pursued courses and workshops to enhance the delivery of quality health and administrative duties.
During the tributes, Ewald Mullin shared that his wife was dedicated to her job.
“Apart from her family, nursing was her life,” he expressed. “She has the ambition for success, and was always passionate about nursing, and she did courses and training in every area of nursing care that become available to her. She was very career focused, and from time to time we would discuss nursing generally and how she saw her future in the profession.”
Mullin also recalled that over the years, his wife developed leadership skills, along with training in management, and stated that he was therefore not surprised when she considered running for President of the Barbados Nurses Association (BNA), a position she has held for five and a half years.
“She wanted to see things change in her profession, for the betterment for nursing and nurses in Barbados,” he indicated.
Dr. Wendy Sealy, Chief Nursing Officer, a colleague and friend, noted that one of the things she always admired about Mullin was her ability to remain very unruffled, even under immense pressure.
“I met Blondelle directly as a member of the BNA a long time ago, when still a staff nurse at QEH, and we served on a number of committees together. But I worked much more closely with her from 2013, where she served as a member of the National HIV/AIDS Commission…
“She is one you want in your corner to lend support when the going gets tough, and will be always willing to support any venture, activity or programme which is being proposed.
“She is also one to quickly recognise her weaknesses. I find this is a characteristic to be admired, since self-examination and introspection are very difficult to do, and it requires a strength of character to perform this very important self-critique,” she added.
The retiree expressed that she was truly humbled by the gathering. She said that she was glad and thankful to be retiring, but sad to be leaving all of her colleagues in the nursing fraternity.
“But you never know I may be able to work with some of you in another capacity, or we can socialise at some time... I may have to stick myself later to come to the reality that Blondelle is retired, because I always felt that only old people retired. But now here I am retiring, so it is definitely not old people.”