After countless miles, three cars, four new windshields, but no traffic tickets, Michele Pond-Bell, RN, retired from Intermountain Healthcare earlier this month. Her distinguished nursing career of 43 years, 35 of which were with Intermountain, led the Idaho Hospital Association to honor her with a Special Recognition award last week.
After countless miles, three cars, four new windshields, but no traffic tickets, Michele Pond-Bell, RN, retired from Intermountain Healthcare earlier this month. Her distinguished nursing career of 43 years, 35 of which were with Intermountain, led the Idaho Hospital Association to honor her with a Special Recognition award last week.
Michele has served as a nurse leader in a variety of areas across several hospitals over the years, most recently serving as the nurse administrator at Cassia Regional Hospital. And for the last ten years, she’s commuted daily from Pocatello to Burley—80 miles each way. At Cassia, Michele helped remodel both the Emergency and Imaging departments, install a helipad for Life Flight, and led the iCentra implementation. She also serves on advisory boards for both Idaho State University and the College of Southern Idaho.
“The Idaho Hospital Association is honored to acknowledge Michele’s outstanding career and wishes her many more good days serving others and learning something new,” the organization said in a news release.
“I really love the times I’ve had to spend with the patients that I’ve cared for, and mostly just to hold a hand and be there,” Michelle said at the award ceremony. “I’m truly honored to receive an award for doing what I love to do: be a nurse.”