For more than three decades, Lorraine Zinnerman, LPN, has walked the halls of FMOL Health | St. Francis, caring for patients and building a career rooted in compassion.
She first joined the hospital in 1990, beginning what would become a 36-year journey in nursing. Over that time, she raised three daughters, built lasting relationships with colleagues and became a steady presence on the telemetry floor.
Now, a new chapter of work is beginning just down the hall. Her youngest daughter, Bonnie Garrett, LPN, is stepping into the same hospital, the same department and the same calling.
“I started working at St. Francis a little over 35 years ago, and I even was pregnant with Bonnie while I was working here,” Lorraine says. “So we’ve come full circle with her coming to work here.”
That sense of completion carries a deeper meaning. After decades of giving her time and energy to patients and her family, Lorraine now has the opportunity to share her profession with her daughter.
Inspired by a Mother’s Example
For Bonnie, nursing was something she grew up seeing every day through her mother’s work.
“I feel like I always had the heart to become a nurse,” Bonnie says. “And just seeing my mom work as a nurse inspired me as well. Seeing her dedication and hard work.”
That inspiration came from watching Lorraine balance long shifts, family life, and the emotional weight that comes with caring for others. Bonnie saw what it meant to show up for patients with compassion while also being present at home.
“She showed me what compassion looks like,” Bonnie says. “Watching her care for others, as well as her kids, and her patience, her strength and the love that she showed doing what she was doing as a nurse.”
That influence stayed with her as she worked toward her goal, culminating in the moment she passed her nursing exam, officially starting the profession she had long admired.
Pride, Purpose and a Career of Care
For Lorraine, nursing has always been about people. While healthcare continues to evolve with new technology and changing practices, her focus has remained steady.
“I love taking care of my patients,” she says. “And I love working with the people that I work with, but mainly taking care of patients and their families.”
That sense of purpose has carried her through 36 years at St. Francis. She speaks just as highly of the environment as she does of the work itself.
“St. Francis for me is a great place to work because the managers and everybody are always so nice and willing to help,” she says. “I can’t say anything bad about this place because they helped me raise three kids.”
Watching Bonnie reach the same milestone she once did brought a wave of emotion. When Bonnie shared the news that she passed her exam, Lorraine’s reaction said everything.
“I cried,” she says. “I was so happy I cried.”
For Bonnie, that moment is one she will always carry with her.
“It made me feel really happy inside, seeing how proud she was of me,” she says. “It made me feel really good.”
Lessons That Go Beyond Nursing
As Bonnie steps into her new role, she does so with years of guidance already behind her. Lorraine’s advice has shaped not only how she approaches nursing, but how she approaches challenges in general.
“I always tell her to put her patients first and do whatever you can to help them,” Lorraine says.
Bonnie has taken those lessons to heart, especially as she transitions from student to working nurse. Through that transition, her mother has remained a constant source of support.
“She shows me a lot and teaches me everything that she knows,” Bonnie says.
Beyond the clinical skills, Lorraine has also helped her daughter understand the emotional rhythm of the profession.
“She’s always told me that you’re going to have good and bad days,” Bonnie says. “But don’t let your bad days take away the joy in nursing. It can be challenging, but you can overcome it.”
Those lessons reflect the kind of nurse Lorraine has been for decades. They also offer a foundation Bonnie can build on as she begins her own career.
“My mom means everything to me,” Bonnie says. “She’s my biggest supporter. She’s always there when I need her.”
A Month Together and a Lifetime Ahead
This summer will mark a transition for both mother and daughter. Bonnie will move into her full-time role in June, working alongside her mom in the telemetry department. Just a few weeks later, Lorraine will retire in July.
That timing gives them about a month to share the floor as colleagues.
Even in that short window, the experience holds special meaning. Bonnie will get to see her mother not just as a parent, but as a professional in the place where she has spent her entire career.
“It means a lot being able to work alongside her,” Bonnie says. “It’s really a joy because I get to see her in her field and her being able to show me what to do.”
For Lorraine, retirement brings another kind of reward. After years of caring for others, she is looking forward to spending more time with her five grandchildren and her family.
The overlap between her final days and Bonnie’s first is more than a coincidence. It is a passing of the torch, shaped by years of example, encouragement, and love.
“I really love us being together up here on the floor,” she says. “It means everything to me that she wanted to follow in my footsteps.”
For one month, they will share the same hallways, the same patients, and the same purpose. After that, Bonnie will carry forward the lessons her mother has spent a lifetime building.
And for Lorraine, that may be the greatest reward of all.
