Women's History Month: Anna Marie Martin

Anna Marie Martin, is a retired nurse of more than 25 years who serves on the Liberty Hospital Board of Trustees. Her work as an ER and critical care nurse as well as a member of the Liberty City Council prepared her for an 8-year stint on the Board since first joining in 2015.

"I learned a lot about how things work during my 12 years on City Council, and then I worked at the hospital for five years at the end of my nursing career. Joining the Board of Trustees was another way to stay involved," Martin said.

Martin joined the board at a crucial time for the hospital, giving her a lot of motivation.

"When I joined the Board the hospital was continuing to heal from major staff cutbacks in 2013, and at the same time the hospital needed to continue providing excellent care to the community and I wanted to be a part of that process. Since I became a trustee we have hired many new physicians and grown our specialties in areas where we were lacking; our staff retention rate has gone up significantly, and that has been a tremendous help," Martin said.

Martin is believed to be the first experienced nurse to join the Board.

"I think I was the first nurse to join the Board, and that was a particular reason that I wanted to get involved. Our nurses needed representation and I felt I could provide that," Martin said.

Anna Marie always has been focused on helping people and finding ways to give back. About midway through her career, she made a change that would lead her towards Liberty Hospital.

"For the first thirteen years or so after university, I was doing chemical and biological research for large companies. But there was something else I wanted to do with my life, and around my mid-thirties, I went to William Jewell College and got my degree in nursing. I have never regretted it a day in my life," Martin said.

Martin’s advice to young women coming into the field is to get involved.

"The wonderful thing about nursing is that there are so many different opportunities. You don't have to take on patient care; you can go into administration. Get on the Board of Trustees and represent people in the district. We have a very broad range of backgrounds on the Board. I would encourage anyone to get involved; it is quite rewarding," Martin said.