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Mother-Daughter Nurses Share a Love for Health Care
May 06, 2024
As a young girl, Veronda Tinson used to go to a local hospital with her mother who worked there as a chef. She didn’t know it then, but those hours she spent with her mother were an introduction to a career in health care.
She first worked as a scheduler in surgery at St. Anthony’s Hospital. But pursuing a nursing career wasn’t something Veronda Tinson planned to do. “I witnessed the incredible operating room nurses provide outstanding care to their patients,” said Veronda Tinson, who will mark 24 years at St. Anthony’s in June. "I never decided to become a nurse. I felt like the profession chose me.”
Veronda Tinson became a registered nurse in 2012 and now is an administrator on duty in nursing administration. She is proud of her nursing career – a career that she said allows her to “share moments with your patients that they may not share with their loved ones.” But she’s even more proud that nursing has chosen someone very special to her – daughter Chabreia Tinson, who recently graduated from St. Petersburg College’s nursing program.
During Nurses Week, a time to honor nurses for the extraordinary care they provide to their communities, and just a few days before Mother’s Day, the mother-daughter nursing duo reflected on their careers and their close relationship.
“My love for being in the medical field started when I would sit in my mom’s office at the age of 10 while she scheduled the doctors’ surgical cases,” Chabreia Tinson said. “I found it fascinating seeing the team members in scrub hats and was amazed by how they would fix people’s body parts.”
“My children grew up in hospitals, and it is heartwarming that they both enjoy the same thing – caring for others,” Veronda Tinson said. Her son is in the U.S. Army. “He is protecting us. And she’s going to take care of us. I love to see her pursue a career that brings her passion.”
Chabreia Tinson attended the Center for Wellness and Medical Professions at Boca Ciega High School in St. Petersburg. “While volunteering on the oncology unit at St. Anthony’s during my clinical hours for Boca Ciega, my father was diagnosed with a chronic illness called cyclic vomiting syndrome,” she said. “Being able to be involved with the health care team members making a difference in people’s lives … made me want to be a nurse.”
When she turned 18, Chabreia Tinson began working at St. Anthony’s as a patient care technician. And then about a year later, she became a mom. She had the support of her family to help her so that she could continue to work and begin nursing school.
When she took a break from her education, Chabreia Tinson’s father insisted that she had to go back. “He always wanted me to complete my education and I knew I had to get my degree,” she said. She utilized BayCare’s Tuition Assistance Benefit Program and pursued her dream when she wasn’t working at the hospital.
For Chabreia Tinson, losing her father in 2023 was one of the most difficult times in her life. But her father’s words and the support of her mom and family kept her going. She graduated earlier this year and is now working on St. Anthony’s PT3/PCU (Patient Tower 3) cardiac tele unit.
Although the Tinsons don’t work on a unit together, they love being in the same hospital, especially one that they have considered home for so many years. “It is a rewarding experience to help others heal holistically and share intimate moments with patients that will stay with us for a lifetime,” Veronda Tinson said. "I am ecstatic she will share this journey with me.”
Chabreia Tinson laughed as she said that working with her mom was like having a clone at the hospital. “It’s great to work in the same place that’s like a second home for us,” she said. “I get to see her all the time. And being related to such a great influence – it couldn’t be more perfect.”