Published: May 20, 2008 08:39 am         

Local nurse makes top 100 list

By Lacie Morrison
lmorrison@mineralwellsindex.com

A Tarleton State University nursing instructor, Mineral Wells resident Mercedes Glidewell was recently recognized by the Texas Nurses Association’ District Three and Four and the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Nurse Executives Forum as one of the 2008 Great 100 Nurses of Dallas-Fort Worth.

Her coworker, Beatrice Marin, wrote a letter to the selection committee, nominating Glidewell. She wrote,” through her dedication and compassion and her ability to relate to others, she has indeed made a significant contribution to both the nursing profession and nursing education.”

Glidewell was one of 100 applicants selected from more than 700 nominations the for the award’s 18th year of recognition. According to the award’s founder, Beth Mancini, what makes a “great nurse” is both intent, demonstrated behaviors and qualities such as knowledge, commitment and compassion, among other things.

Glidewell recalled Marin asking her questions about her nursing background during their carpool trips to work at a hospital.

“It was the first time I’ve been nominated and I didn’t know what she was doing,” she said. The recognition came as a complete surprise to her when a letter announcing her award came in the mail.

“Being named a Great 100 Nurse is very significant to me for several reasons. I am so very pleased that another nurse would place my name in a nomination for this honor,” she said. “Being chosen for this recognition by my peers is a validation of sorts and it is my hope that at least a few of my students have benefited in some way from my efforts to instruct them. After all, this is where the next generation of Great 100 nurses must come from.”

From a young age, Glidewell said she knew she wanted to be a nurse. The inspiration came after seeing the interaction between her father, who was afflicted with Parkinson’s, and the public health nurse who visited him.

“Observing the nurses practice and their interaction with and compassion for the people made a lasting impression on me,” she said.

A native of the Philippines, Glidewell came to the United States in 1972 to work at the hospital in Stephenville. Glidewell has worked at a number of hospitals during her 37 years as a registered nurse and obtained several degrees.

She earned her bachelor’s in sociology and master’s degree in Government – Public Service from Tarleton State University. Her Bachelor of Science in Nursing was earned from Texas Women’s University and she received her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas-Arlington.

Glidewell has also worked at Palo Pinto General Hospital until 1995 when she went to teaching at TSU full time. In addition to her duties as an instructor, she said she works some weekends in the Intensive Care Unit at the Granbury hospital.

“I like to have the personal touch on patients,” she explained. “You do with the students but it’s a little different.”

She said she considers teaching to be the most rewarding.

“Going to teach, it doesn’t pay very much but the reward is tremendous,” she said. “When you see your graduates going up in the world, you know your memories live on.”

When asked how many nursing students she’s taught over the years, Glidewell estimated close to 1,000.

“That’s a lot of lives and a lot of lives they’re going to touch, too,” she remarked.