Lincoln County Hospital Administrator Steve Granzow presented Barb Hollis with a framed certificate and a pin to recognize 50 years of service to the hospital. Granzow noted this was the first and only 50-year service award. (Photo by Kris Heinze)In July, Lincoln County Hospital recognized long-time radiology technician Barb Hollis for 50 years of service to the Lincoln County Hospital with a reception in the cafeteria. Administrator Steve Granzow presented Hollis a framed certificate commemorating the event, as well as a pin to recognize her years of service to the Lincoln County Hospital. Hollis later said she had accumulated 10 pins over the years. Granzow said Hollis was the first and only 50-year service award in the history of the hospital.
Hospital staff gathered for the come-and-go reception, and enjoyed cake and refreshments, and bestowed Hollis with additional gifts, including KU gear, Willow Tree Guardian Angel collectibles, and a grilling apron signed by all the nurses and staff, since she is well-known for being a good cook and a KU fan too.
Hollis was born in 1947 and began her career at Lincoln County Hospital as a teenager.
“When I started out, I was a Candy Striper,” Hollis said.
She explained the volunteer Candy Stripers worked certain evenings from 4 to 6 p.m. and helped to get the patients up. She said they had 25 patients at the hospital then.
She began a more formal job as a nurses aid in 1969, under the administrator at the time, Mrs. Kleinschmidt, before Long Term Care was added to the hospital.
“I was supposed to work part-time, but I was full-time before you knew it,” Hollis said.
Hollis went on to tell more about how the hospital was different 50 years ago than it is today, and how things have changed over the years.
“Very different. Different doctors. Everything has changed. We didn’t have computers. Everything was manual, we had to get manual blood pressures back then,” Hollis said.
Hollis said she worked an evening shift at the hospital as a medic from 3 to 11 p.m. and that they were expected to perform all different kinds of tasks. She said she was given opportunities to help in Surgery and Obstetrics, Central Supply and that she went into X-Ray in 1975 under June Nunn.
Now, Hollis is on her fifth different x-ray machine as a Radiology Tech, as equipment has been upgraded with technology that has evolved since 1975.
“I started with an old GE, you could x-ray your big toe if you wanted to,” Hollis said. “New ones are always different.”
But in the end, as fun or as challenging as new technology might be, it comes down to the people. Hollis said she’d seen several generations of families come through the hospital, as grandchildren and great grandchildren, or even great-great grandchildren of patients.
“I just love the people, and they’ve all been wonderful,” Hollis said.
By Kris Heinze for the Lincoln Sentinel-Republican
