Mitzi Near, 35 years

Mitzi is a Senior Research Nurse for the Pulmonary Department of the School of Medicine.

Tell us about your career at Emory.

I began my career at Emory as a Floor Nurse in 1989, where I cared for kidney and liver transplant patients on 5G. From 1992 to 1999, I worked as a Transplant Coordinator, providing home care and medication education for post-kidney and liver transplant patients, and managed outpatient care in the Kidney Transplant Clinic on 2D. During this time, I also collaborated with research nurses on data entry for transplant research clinical trials.

From 1999 to 2019, I was involved with the Emory University Nephrology Department, focusing on clinical trial research for both renal transplant and nephrology patients. My work included conducting animal studies to test medications for detecting declining renal function and evaluating treatments for pediatric patients and those with sickle cell disease to improve kidney function. Since 2019, I have transitioned to Pulmonary Research, where I concentrate on patients with pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension.

What are some of your favorite Emory memories?

I have appreciated all the great staff and patients I have worked with over the years. I have conducted kidney function tests on pigs and participated in staff events, including doing the Electric Slide in the quad. It’s rewarding to see how much patients truly appreciate what we do for them and the difference we make in their lives.

What are some of the most significant changes you've witnessed?

I’ve witnessed how much medicine has changed over the past 35 years. Hospital stays have become shorter, and medications have improved significantly. We’ve moved from paper charts to fully computerized systems, and calculating IV medications and drips has shifted to automated pumps that handle it all for you.

What do you miss from “back in the day”?

I remember how much nurses did for patients when I first started. We handled everything from changing beds and giving bed baths to administering medications, starting IVs, providing wound care, offering spiritual support, and charting on paper—there were no computers then. I miss how we genuinely got to know the patients and their families, and how close the staff were as we worked together to get the job done.

What do you hope for the future of Emory?

I hope for continued positive patient outcomes and the eventual ending or better control of horrible diseases. I also look forward to building strong memories with my co-workers.

Anything else you would like to share?

I started at Emory straight out of nursing school and have truly grown up here—I got married and had two kids. Although I have changed job titles and departments several times, I still enjoy working with patients and helping them get better. When I started in 1989, I never imagined I would be here this long, but I’m grateful that Emory has become my second home and has provided such a rewarding work experience and career.