Retirement Highlight: Vickie Foster, Education Coordinator, Retires After 24 Years of Service

Please join us in congratulating Vickie Foster as she happily retires from Sierra View Medical Center after decades of service to health care and the local community!

Vickie first heard about a job opportunity at Sierra View from someone she knew who also worked here. Soon, she too was working at SVMC as a unit clerk in the Labor & Delivery area. At the time, all Vickie knew was that Sierra View came highly recommended. What she didn’t know was that she would spend nearly 25 years enjoying a health care career here.

As a unit clerk, Vickie learned all about the services offered to new moms on the fourth floor of the hospital. She loved her time working with the Maternal Child Health department but a new opportunity arose to apply for a position with the Clinical Education team. Vickie applied and fearlessly took on the challenge of learning all about the department that would become her career home. Becoming a clerk for the Clinical Education department Vickie the opportunity to support the ongoing education of nurses across the organization.

In time, Vickie became the Education Coordinator for Sierra View’s nursing staff. She helped maintain relationships with academic and health care partners as well as supported onboarding processes for nurses. She was also an advisory member of the Academy of Health Sciences. Vickie says she enjoyed her interactions with co-workers within her department and the hospital’s entire staff. “I really valued my time spent helping with staff development for both our staff and health care students.”

Over the years, Vickie got many opportunities to see for herself why Sierra View had been recommended as a great place to work. “The environment was warm and friendly,” she said. “I really enjoyed patient interactions and patient care.” In the time since Vickie’s arrival, a lot has changed and Sierra View’s services to the community have grown tremendously. Vickie mentioned the opening of the cardiac catheterization lab as a key development in Porterville. “The cath lab has provided a tremendous opportunity for patients to receive their care and treatment right here within the community,” she says.

Vickie’s department held a socially distanced retirement party for her. One by one, team members from other departments stopped by to wish her the very best as she begins a new chapter in her life. Cupcakes were served as a reminder of how sweet it can be to work at a place that you are passionate about with people who have become friends over the years. Now that Vickie will have more free time, she looks forward to enjoying it with her husband and grandchildren.

For her years of service, collaborative spirit, and dedication, Sierra View Medical Center wishes Vickie foster a happy retirement and thanks her for her many years of service.