‘I loved it from the first day:’ Reflections on a 45-year career at Brookside

The team at Brookside Community Health Center recently celebrated Yolanda Hobin, MSN, NP, as she prepares to retire after a 45-year career at the center.

Hobin, who came to the U.S. from Colombia as a teenager, had plans to become a bilingual secretary and return home. But then she saw a sign — a literal one — that would change her path.

“I was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital for epigastric pain,” she recalled. “My only experience with hospitals was when my grandfather was dying, and I cried a lot when I was in the hospital. A very kind nurse would sit with me and reassure me.”

Hobin said that’s when she first decided to pursue nursing, but it was her follow-up visit to the hospital that affirmed this decision. “There, in the waiting room, was a pamphlet that said, ‘Be someone special. Be a nurse,’” she said. “That was my confirmation that nursing was my purpose in life.”

From there, Hobin enrolled in the New England Baptist School of Nursing, attended Boston University to earn her bachelor’s in nursing and eventually received her master’s degree at Simmons University to become a nurse practitioner. She was placed at Brookside for her first clinical practice rotation.

“I loved it there from the first day,” she said. “I knew this was the kind of place I wanted to work at. I found it very rewarding to be able to speak to patients in their native language of Spanish. When I graduated from Simmons, Brookside found a way to create a NP position for me, and here I am 45 years later.”

The past four and a half decades provided Hobin with the opportunity to connect with her patients not only by providing them with care and education, but also in helping them access other resources, such as educational opportunities and free tuition programs.

“I stayed all these years because I shared the Brookside team’s commitment to providing excellent health care to all patients regardless of nationality, religion, sexual orientation and immigration status,” she said. “The administration is very committed to ensuring health care access and making all patients welcome at Brookside. It was an honor and a privilege to be part of the team and to care for my patients.”

Hobin shared a few words of wisdom for those interested in becoming a nurse or nurse practitioner:

“I would tell them to go into nursing primarily because they feel called to service. Your main reason for choosing nursing as a career should be a desire to help people, especially in their most vulnerable moments. As a nurse, you can make a difference in a patient’s life. You have the opportunity to empower patients and their families with knowledge. Nursing is a great profession, and it gives you the option of working in many settings, such as hospitals and clinics. You also have the option of working in many specialties, such as pediatrics, surgery and obstetrics. You can choose to advance your education and become an NP, acquiring patient assessment and diagnostic skills.”

In retirement, Hobin looks forward to traveling and volunteering at a women’s shelter or free care clinic.