NO MATTER WHAT time of day it is, the emergency room at Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital is constantly abuzz with activity. Since the acquisition of the hospital by Vanderbilt in 2021, the daily census reveals that the number of people seeking help at the facility has doubled from 34 patients per day to over 60, swelling to over 22,000 patients last year. At a moment’s notice, the staff must be ready to handle emergencies that range from serious infections, severe allergic reactions, broken bones, injuries from accidents, patients in cardiac arrest, and everything in between. Behind each door, minutes flash by like seconds as a person’s life — or that of an entire family — is changed forever.
Registered Nurse (RN) Jeri P. Clements knows this all too well — 37160 has been her ZIP code since the day she was born at the old Bedford County General Hospital (BCGH) on Union Street. As her triage nurses spring into action, the patients lying on the gurney facing a crisis are often personal friends, relatives, neighbors, or classmates who graduated high school with Clements. To her, this career is more than just punching a time clock and working her scheduled shift, and the rigors of this calling, especially in the last 30 years, have steadily become more challenging. But, as she slips on her scrubs every morning, she chooses this life, this dedication, and these challenges all over again.
Her beloved grandmother, Bobbie Jean Bell, who began picking her up after school in 1986 and driving her to the BCGH when she was only 14, nurtured her thirst for health care.
“She would take me to her office to file records in the bookkeeping and payroll department,” said Clements. “I was paid $3.25 per hour for the job, but the reward was so much greater than the money I earned. Over the years, I held many positions — file clerk, switchboard operator, nursing tech, emergency department RN, nursing house supervisor — and I’ve been the director of the emergency room since 2015. My grandmother instilled in me the foundation of a strong work ethic. She was a kind, Christian, Southern lady and I admired her for so many things. That first job led me down the path to my career in nursing.”
Before landing her dream job in the emergency room, Clements spent 14 years of her nursing career working for Dr. Lana Beavers, a general practitioner who was trained during a time when one doctor was expected to diagnose and treat the symptoms of every patient.
“Dr. Beavers taught me how to use common sense, combined with intelligence when treating patients of all ailments during different stages of life. I am forever grateful for the mentorship she provided to me early in my career. I have been blessed with a successful nursing career, and now that I have transitioned into a nursing director role, I admire our bedside nurses and techs more than ever. They are the heroes doing the real work every day. You will never see me taking credit for their accomplishments, but I do take great pride in sharing the victories on their behalf.”
She credits more than just the “adrenaline rush” that is frequently experienced by her staff as the reason her team is thriving.
“It’s comforting to work in a facility where we are not just a number. Everyone knows your name and your strengths, and this makes the enterprise successful. My staff are an extension of my own family. I keep my office door open so they can enter as they please. Most times, you’ll find them chatting at my desk. My biggest accomplishment in this role is having satisfied employees. Ensuring they keep a work/life balance is extremely important to me.”
Clements continued, “I wish everyone understood how difficult it is to work in the emergency room. All of our clinical staff are heroes in my eyes. They see so much tragedy and sadness, yet they keep coming back for more, shift after shift. In today’s world, health care has transitioned into a business where patients are not always kind to our staff. My employees endure verbal and sometimes physical abuse while caring for their patients. Thirty years ago, that would have been unheard of in the health care industry.”
Outside of Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital, Clements has been married to her husband, Mike, also a registered nurse, for 17 years. The two enjoy traveling and spending their free time doting on their extremely spoiled 9-year-old dog, Lilly Bell. GN
