Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
For Tammy Surles, the Nurse Manager for the Medical/Surgical Swing Bed Unit at Madison County Memorial Hospital (MCMH), in Madison, nursing has been her life’s calling. She says that even after 34 years in the profession, she still loves it as much as she did when she first began her career in Mississippi. After graduating from school at the University of Southern Mississippi, Surles began her career. She met and married Tommy Surles, of Madison, and moved here. “I love it here,” said Tammy. “The people are great and I love working at the hospital here.”
She states that there are a multitude of things she enjoys about nursing, but helping others is among the most rewarding parts of the job. “I am able to help people when they need it the most,” added Surles. “I enjoy listening to patients. I find that I learn a lot, just by listening to them. I also feel that a simple human touch is an important part of the healing process. That’s something that no amount of technology can replace. That human connection is vital, I think.”
Making those connections and serving others is as much a part of Surles’ DNA as her hair color. She says she often does little things for patients, just to make them feel better. She recalled one little boy who enjoyed baseball cards. She would often stop at a store on her way in to work and pick up some baseball cards for this youngster.
When she is not helping to take care of patients, Surles says she enjoys hunting, fishing, traveling and sports. She also enjoys spending time with her six grandchildren.