WATFORD CITY, N.D. (KFYR) – All nurses deserve praise, but each year the North Dakota Nurses Association recognizes a few nurses who go above and beyond expectations.
Each year, the association inducts a nurse into its Hall of Fame.
It’s a huge honor, and one this year’s inductee isn’t sure she deserves, but those who know Maria Berglund say it’s an honor years in the making and one that has only become more special over the past few months.
Berglund was born to be a nurse – she had dreamed of this profession since she was five years old – and after spending several weeks in the hospital, she will never forget the kindness of the nurses who cared for her.
“They made an impression. A very good impression. They were very caring people,” she recalled.
In 1968, Berglund earned her nursing degree from the Sisters of Mercy School of Nursing in Devils Lake.
“She creates happiness wherever she goes,” says Dr. Gary Ramage, a medical doctor at Mackenzie Health in Watford City, who has worked with Berglund for the past 20 years.
“I will continue to be her faithful assistant and do whatever she tells me to do,” he laughed.
They see a mainly elderly patient population, whom Berglund has known since moving to Watford City in 1977.
“When I got here, they were in their 40s and 50s,” she recalls, “so it was just nice to take the time to look at them and see them go through the cycle of life.”
Berglund became a patient herself a few months ago, so she’s happy to take on the job.
“I had a mini stroke on the right side of my brain,” she said.
She had to take a few weeks off work, but she is now on the mend. Her job is helping her, she said. She is grateful to be back at work, and everyone at Mackenzie Health is happy to have her back.
“She’s an example to our organization and the staff here,” said Pete Edis, CEO of Mackenzie Health. “She’s truly an icon in the nursing community.”
She’s an iconic figure who was surprised when she was inducted into the state’s Nursing Hall of Fame earlier this month.
“I was stunned,” she admitted.
Still, she hopes the award will inspire others to pursue their nursing dreams.
Now 79, Berglund is finally starting to think about retirement. She plans to retire at the end of 2025. If that happens, Dr. Ramage said he plans to retire as well.
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