Tammy Shine

My Proud Story...

My St. Luke’s journey started in 2000 when I became pregnant with my daughter. During my pregnancy, I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and admitted to St. Luke’s Bethlehem. The doctors explained to me that due to my condition, I would be staying in the hospital until the baby was born. Throughout my stay, the nurses and doctors took great care of me and prepared me that, at exactly 32 weeks, I would be induced. I was told that since we were having the baby at seven months, she would be staying in the NICU for two months until she would technically be term. Needless to say, I was scared and worried.

I started the induction process early the morning of February 27. Marie was my nurse for the day, and labor was going fine into the afternoon. She was there to answer questions, help me and check to see that we were ok. As we were getting into the afternoon, Marie joked that her shift would be ending soon and we were going to have this baby before she left because she had been with me all day. At 2:56 p.m. with the help of the wonderful staff and Marie, I had our daughter, Cora at 3 pounds, 9 ounces. We made it before the end of her shift!

We were prepared to visit Cora in the NICU 4-5 times a day for the next two months. The NICU nurses were wonderful and always available to answer my questions and address my concerns about this tiny little girl. St. Luke’s nurses were phenomenal and always there for us. Two weeks later, we received the wonderful news that Cora was going to be coming home, but my St. Luke’s journey did not end there.

Shortly after Cora was born, I was laid off from my job and the state was offering grants to those who wanted to go to school. I knew that I wanted to go to nursing school. I wanted to be like Marie, my labor and delivery nurse. I was accepted into the Nursing Program at Northampton Community College and I was so excited to start my new journey. During my Labor & Delivery rotation, I got paired up with Marie. I had never forgotten Marie. Because of her and Cora, I wanted to be a nurse. What were the chances I would be on assignment with her?! How Marie cared for me and how the NICU nurses cared for my daughter made such an impact on me. I knew St. Luke’s was going to be the only place I wanted to work when I became a nurse.

I achieved my goal and for years, I had various roles at the hospital, most of which were spent in the OR, being on the open heart surgery team and working in various other surgeries. Last year, my daughter, a senior in high school, volunteered at St. Luke’s Bethlehem and I will be finishing my master’s degree in nursing leadership and management from Drexel University.

I am St. Luke’s proud and have had an awesome journey from the beginning that led me to where I am today. Starting with that whirlwind experience of having a preemie, I knew that I would work for St. Luke’s and would never want to work anywhere else. I have been supported by the St. Luke’s family before I was a staff member and straight through today with the opportunities I have been given. I proudly display my badges of previous positions so that I am always in touch with my journey, and others can see that anything is possible.

Tammy Shine, RN, MSN, CNOR
Patient Care Manager
Hired in 2004