Mary Lou Broadbrooks recalls 40 years as PC Nurse

Most people, after 40-years on the job, start their retirement with a trip to a tropical island to sip fruity drinks out of coconut cups.

Mary Lou Broadbrooks took a different route. The long-time Phillips County Nurse retired from her post last December and instead of sunshine-filled destination, she opted for surgery.

"I had hand surgery," Broadbrooks said last Wednesday, "But I am going to Billings today to get the cast off and hopefully get the pin out."

Broadbrooks knew she needed the surgery – a procedure to fuse a knuckle joint and repair her right wrist – and knew she would be laid-up for a while so she purposely waited to have the operation for her first task during her retirement. Broadbrooks said she has a good idea of where part of the hand problems come from.

"I think it was from loading all those syringes over the years," she said.

In the 39 and half years that she worked as Phillips County Nurse, Broadbrooks estimates that, on average, she administered about 100 shots a month, 12 months a year. As of the January 1, 2016, Broadbrooks retired from the position she came into in 1976. She grew up in Malta, a Malta High School grad in 1972, and then attended MSU for four years in which she received her BA in nursing in 1976.

"When I left for college, I never thought I would move back to Malta," Broadbrooks said. "But we ended up training with Clara Lodmell before she left. So I got the position and never left Malta again."

Nursing came naturally to Broadbrooks. As a child, growing up in her parent's home, her father, Otis, was a farmer and her mother, Marvel, was what today is referred to as a CNA.

"I think watching her care for people helped me decide to want to also help people," she said.

While Broadbrooks was a student at Malta High, she had a job at the old Malta Nursing Home giving her an early start to her lifelong career.

"When I started here, I wasn't sure if I wanted to work in public health or in a hospital," said Broadbrooks. "Now, looking back, it was the best decision in my life. There are so many aspects in public nursing that I got to do a little bit of everything."

Only a few months into retirement, Broadbrooks quickly figured out the thing she misses most are the people, both those she worked with and those she cared for.

"I've just spent so much time with them over the years," she said. "But I really want to spend more time with my family. My sister died young, of Pancreatic Cancer, and so I decided that life is too short and I want to spend more time with family."

Aside from her patients – some families have had the good fortune of seeing four generations of people under her care -- Broadbrooks said she would miss the people who worked in the County Nursing Office with her, both past and present.

Fresh out of college and in the County Nurses position, her first assistant was Barb Darrah.

"She helped and supported me so much," said Broadbrooks of the eight years she spent working with Darrah. "She was just a good role model and mentor. She was detrimental in my career. We have had a close bond ever since. I really admire her."

Following Darrah at Broadbrooks side would be Frances Demarais, a partnership that would cover the next 22 years of nursing in Phillips County.

"We worked together for so long that we just knew what each other were going to do," said Broadbrooks. "When I was five-years-old, Frances and her husband lived in my parent's basement so I have known her my whole life."

Broadbrooks said she considers Demarais one of her best friends to this day (in fact, Broadbrooks called Demarais during this interview to confirm dates and names.)

"Gosh, I wish I had your memory," Broadbrooks told her BFF during the phone call. "Is there anything I should tell him that I can't think of? If I have any more questions, I will call you back."

Following Demarais at the Phillips County Health Department (PCHD,) Anita Jensen assisted Broadbrooks starting in 2006. Broadbrooks said Jensen was a great help in the office replacing Demarais.

"She fit right in and off we went," Broadbrooks said.

Tasha Hines was hired at PCHD after the office received a billing grant to help with the new billing schematics at the office. When Jensen left her position, Hines transitioned into it nicely. Within the last year, Kayla Young was hired on, making a threesome of office members that Broadbrooks really enjoyed.

"I really hated leaving because there is such a good group there," Broadbrooks said. "Tasha and Kayla are amazing."

The lists of things she will miss about her job are numerous. The list of things she will not miss is sparser, but she came up with an answer immediately.

"Lice," she laughed. "But for as many heads that I have worked with, luckily I never got it."

Broadbrooks thanked Dixie Moore for being the nurse who she was able to turn to for help throughout her entire career. She thanked the Malta Kiwanis Club who each year present the PCHD with a donation to help provide immunizations to babies through "Shots for Tots" programs. Each year the volunteers also assisted at the Annual Health Fair by preparing and serving the breakfast provided free of charge by the Phillips County Hospital & Hi-Line Retirement Center.

Broadbrooks is the mother of two boys, Tim who lives with his wife, CoriLea, in Helena with their two daughters and a son and Larry and his wife, Chasity, who live in Billings with their two sons.

Aside from the surgery, Broadbrooks also postponed her retirement in hopes that Phillips County could find someone to fill her shoes when she left. The hiring of Jenny Tollefson finally gave Broadbrooks the confidence and peace of mind to finally retire.

"She is going to do a great job and I feel good about retiring because we have an excellent public health nurse," said Broadbrooks. "She just has so much compassion and my main goal was to have someone replace me that has compassion and kindness for my patients. I couldn't have a better replacement."