John Lyon Named as One of Iowa's 100 Great Nurses

posted on Tuesday, May 5, 2020

One of 2020’s 100 Great Nurses of Iowa, John Lyon has dedicated his skills and service to benefit those served by Spencer Hospital. John was one of five Spencer Hospital nurses named among Iowa’s 100 Great Nurses this year. These nurses go above and beyond to contribute significantly to the profession of nursing.

Career: 

John joined Spencer Hospital in 1989 and worked as he completed his education and training. Initially, he served as a certified nurse assistant, then as a licensed practical nurse, and then transitioned to serving as a registered nurse once he graduated and became licensed.

Roles John has held with Spencer Hospital: 

The short answer to the number of roles John has assumed at Spencer Hospital is “many!” He started on the behavioral health unit and during his first few years he worked behavioral health and also filled in a float nurse on skilled care, medical-surgical care and, once, even to obstetrics. He also served as a charge nurse.  In the early 1990s, he moved to surgery, first working as an operating circulator, then clinical care coordinator, then assistant director, and eventually as surgery director. In 2005, John – who has long been known as a technology guru, became director of clinical technology and biomedicine. Currently, he serves as a clinical informaticist.

What John loves about being a nurse:

“I have always loved helping people! I really loved spending time with my patients when I worked on the patient care floors. As time has passed, I continue to help people, though in a different capacity than direct patient care as now I can help others through technology.”

What those who nominated John had to say about him:

John’s dedication and commitment to the nursing profession is seen every day at our hospital. John never puts himself first and is always eager to do what it takes to help his fellow nurses and all he comes in contact with. He is instrumental in helping humanize the myriad of technology we use in patient care.  From helping patients understand how to use monitoring tools they wear home and return to helping staff with disabilities find technology which will help them keep a job or improve their job satisfaction. He has a passion for sharing his ideas and the technology he has found to empower the patients and co-workers he serves.

He is a resource with a heart. He carries out each of his tasks with such compassion and commitment that he makes a challenging task seem easy. We appreciate his expertise and also his humor when he is working with us. Of course we also appreciate his contribution to nursing throughout the hospital which is to humanize the technology we use to diagnose, treat, cure and protect our patients.