UVM Medical Center nurse witness to cardiology advancements over four decades

The first time Kathy Getty showed up at the Medical Center
Hospital of Vermont she was, well, a newborn. She debuted in what was then
called the Mary Fletcher Hospital
in 1954.

14 years later, she was back here as a candy striper. What
she saw inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. “I saw the nurses dealing
with these children and families who were so frightened. And knowing that the
little bit that I was doing was making a difference, I thought: I want to be a
nurse.”

And just like that, she was back at the hospital five years
later with her nursing degree. She started out in cardiology and 45 years
later, she’s still here.

A photo pulled from the history of nursing at the UVM Medical Center.

As a cardiac
catheterization lab specialist, Kathy is responsible for helping cardiac
patients understand what they need to do to prepare for and recover from a
cardiac catheterization, and provides support for those who are coming in to
have a pacemaker or defibrillator implanted. She also makes sure that
information from patients who have suffered what’s called an ST elevation
myocardial infarction (STEMI) – a very serious type of heart attack – goes into
a national registry of STEMI patients.

Kathy says she loves the fact that there are always new procedures and new technologies to learn in her work. One transformative example has been trans-aortic valve replacement (TAVR), for which she’s had a front row seat. TAVR is a relatively new procedures that makes it possible to replace the aortic valve without open heart surgery. “Just watching that program progress – over 1000 patients later – has been really exciting,” she says.

But most of all, she appreciates the impact that she and the
team have. With our STEMI program, patients who have suffered heart
attacks go right in for their cardiac catheterization, saving heart muscle in
the process. She helps people through those first harrowing hours. “We open
that artery and the minute it opens, most patients are pain-free. You look at
their faces and they are just so thankful. It gives me a thrill every time to
see the transformation from when the artery is totally blocked – and the next
minute it’s wide open.”

Kathy also really values the collaborative spirit of her
team. “Everyone is so talented. We all listen to each other – and we all
really, really care about our patients.”

Today, Kathy feels like the decades have flown by, but her
first impressions of health care still linger – and motivate her. Looking
forward, Kathy enjoys bringing her perspective, her work ethic and her
appreciation for the value of what we do to her team and her patients. “It’s
been a wonderful journey,” she says. “And I feel very blessed that I could be a
part of it for all these years.”

To learn more about Cardiology services at UVM Medical Center or to request an appointment, visit our page here: https://www.uvmhealth.org/medcenter/pages/departments-and-programs/cardiology.aspx

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