Celebrating National Nurses Week at Angel Medical Center

Angel Medical Center is proud to celebrate National Nurses Week and recognize the dedication, compassion and expertise of its entire nursing team. This year’s theme, The Power of Nursing, is reflected each day in the way nurses at Angel Medical Center care for patients, support one another and serve their community. As part of HCA Healthcare, nurses at Angel are supported by a broader network committed to investing in colleagues through education, resources and a culture that prioritizes both professional growth and well-being. Together with the entire hospital team, Angel’s nurses play a vital role in delivering high-quality, personalized care close to home.

“Our nurses are at the heart of everything we do at Angel Medical Center,” said Clint Kendall, CEO of Angel Medical Center. “It takes a strong, connected team to provide the level of care our community expects, and I am incredibly proud of the collaboration, compassion and commitment our nurses demonstrate every day. They truly make a difference for our patients and for each other.”

To celebrate National Nurses Week, we are proud to highlight three nurses whose stories reflect the strength, compassion and dedication of the entire Angel Medical Center team.

Gina Gribble, RN, has deep roots at Angel Medical Center — so much so that she was born there. A lifelong Macon County resident who now lives in Otto, Gina first walked the halls of the hospital as a “candy striper” and began her nursing career there in 1988. After briefly working in Georgia, she returned in 2008 and has been part of the Angel Medical Center team ever since. “This has always been my hospital,” she says.

Now working in case management, Gina plays a critical role in ensuring patients have the support they need after leaving the hospital. Her work includes coordinating home health services, arranging medical equipment, connecting patients with community resources like Meals on Wheels, and working closely with agencies such as Adult Protective Services. She also navigates the complexities of insurance approvals, helping patients access the care they need.

For Gina, the “power of nursing” comes from connection. She recalls a patient who was surprised when she took the time to provide personal care during a night shift. “I told her she was my patient, and that makes her my family,” Gina says. That mindset extends throughout her work, especially in a close-knit community where familiar faces bring comfort during vulnerable moments. “When people see someone they know, they feel safer,” she explains. “We treat our community like family.”

Gina says nursing goes far beyond what most people see, especially when it comes to coordinating care behind the scenes. From navigating insurance and Medicare requirements to ensuring patients have what they need at home, much of her work happens outside the patient room but has a direct impact on their recovery and well-being. She also sees how trust built in the community carries into the hospital. “People see us at church, at the store — they know we’re here to help and that we care,” she says.

What keeps Gina coming back after decades in nursing is both her deep connection to the community and the team she works alongside every day. “This is my hospital, and I want our community to get the best care possible,” she says. “We have a great team here at Angel Medical Center. We look out for each other, we celebrate together and we support each other through the hard moments. We can talk through challenges, lean on one another and truly function like a family. That closeness makes a difference — not just for us, but for our patients too.”

Amy Smith, RN, a Case Manager at Angel Medical Center, brings a deep sense of compassion and connection to her work — shaped by years of experience as a school nurse and a desire to care for others as she would her own family. Now, nearly a year into her role at AMC, Amy serves patients by helping guide them through some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

For Amy, the “power of nursing” is rooted in personal connection. “You become the person people go to when they don’t know what else to do,” she says. She recalls caring for young children as a school nurse, often holding and comforting them when they were sick. “I’ve rocked a lot of sick 5-year-olds with a fever,” she says. “You treat them like they’re your own, because that’s what you would want for your child.”

That same compassion carries into her work today, where she helps patients and families navigate care beyond the hospital. “We help people understand what’s next,” she explains. “When someone is in crisis, they may not absorb everything, so we take the time to explain things simply and make sure they feel informed.”

Amy has also supported patients through deeply personal moments, including offering to pray with individuals facing life-changing situations. “At the end of the day, we’re just people trying to help people,” she says. “It’s about giving them hope and letting them know they’re not alone.”

What keeps her coming back each day is the environment at Angel Medical Center. “The team here is incredible,” she says. “From the whole hospital to our case management group, everyone is so kind and supportive. They treat you like family.” That sense of belonging, she says, is real. “You feel appreciated, wanted and cared for — and that makes all the difference.”

Suzy Downing, RN, a Case Management nurse at Angel Medical Center, brings more than three decades of nursing experience to her role, including a long career at a children’s hospital before joining AMC five years ago. Over the course of 33 years, she has cared for patients in some of the most demanding environments, experiences that shaped both her resilience and her deep compassion for others.

One moment that has stayed with her came during her time working with pediatric pulmonary patients. She recalls a young girl with cystic fibrosis who had limited time to live and very little family support. “She leaned into me and just wanted a hug,” Suzy says. “That has stayed with me all these years.” Moments like that, she explains, are a reminder of the profound human connection at the heart of nursing.

For Suzy, the “power of nursing” comes from caring for patients not just medically, but emotionally. “When patients feel like someone truly cares about them, it goes a long way,” she says. In her current role in case management, that means helping patients and families navigate complex decisions about care after they leave the hospital. “They’re going through something they’ve often never experienced before,” she says. “Being able to guide them and ease that burden can change how they feel about what comes next.”

What keeps Suzy coming back is the people around her. “The patients and the team here at Angel are what make it special,” she says. “It’s a small hospital, and we all know each other — from leadership to lab staff to nurses. We work well together, support each other and truly feel like a family. That kind of teamwork makes all the difference.”