Check out the timestamps below to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.
On This Episode:
The 20th century was filled with advancements in nursing and anesthesia with much of the innovation coming in the world of pediatrics. One of the women who had a huge hand in improving the care for children was Betty Lank, who worked as the Chief Nurse Anesthetist at Boston Children’s Hospital for decades. Today we’ll look back and her life and career with Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA and try to capture the impact she made on a hospital and a profession.
Betty’s career dates back nearly 90 years to when she was hired originally as a relief nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital. A few years later she was hired as a full-time anesthetist, where she should would eventually spend the next three decades providing care. When you look at what the Boston Children’s Hospital has become, you can point to the work Lank did as the foundation for the incredible care they provide today.
Show historians Nancy Bruton-Maree, CRNA, and Sandy Ouellette, CRNA join on us on this episode to tell you her story and document the role she had in anesthesia.
Here are some of the things you’ll learn on this episode:
- The early life and childhood for Betty growing up in Canada. [3:22]
- How she became passionate about nursing after World War I. [5:16]
- What she accomplished during her time as the Chief Nurse Anesthetist in Boston. [8:31]
- Her role in advancing pediatric anesthesia. [17:50]
- The early involvement she had in state and national associations. [29:06]
- Her final resting place and how she’s remembered. [34:43]
- Nancy and Sandy’s final thoughts on Betty. [37:58]
Check out the interview at the top of the page and use the timestamps to help you navigate through the many topics we discussed.
There’s just not a lot about her and it should definitely be captured for what she did.
–Sandy Ouellette, CRNA
