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Staff members at Montclair (Calif.) Hospital Medical Center gathered May 12 to celebrate more than Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

Donna Young, RN, MBA, and Paz Barcenilla, RN, were surprised with a party for their 50 years of service to the nursing profession. Cake, flowers, and a video were presented to the nurses, as well as a certificate and then-and-now pictures of each nurse.

Young was more than pleased by the recognition, and says it’s an example of why she has not regretted a day of nursing. When thinking back on her five decades in the field, Young says the choice of what she wanted to study was clear.

“I always wanted to be a nurse,” she says. “I was offered two scholarships in English, but still chose to go into nursing.”

She entered nursing school in 1956 at age 17 and has continued her education with an associate degree in risk management and practitioner certification in healthcare quality.

“I tried retirement for six weeks, then went back to work,” Young says. “I really feel that I have experienced and enjoyed the lives of others, and hope that I can give that back.”

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Laura M. Stakal is regional editor for NurseWeek. To comment, e-mail editorCA@nurseweek.com.