Honoring Navy Veteran and Lifelong Nurse: Ruth Severerino, Friend of DCIU Educator Patricia Tuggle

This Veterans Day, The Practical Nursing Program is proud to share the story of Ruth Severerino, a Navy veteran, lifelong nurse and friend of our nurse educator Patricia Tuggle. Severerino’s experiences offer inspiring lessons for anyone pursuing a career in nursing. Read below to learn more about her remarkable journey.

Ruth Severerino has dedicated her life to caring for others, first as a Navy hospital corpsman and later as a nurse in her community.

She enlisted in the Navy in the 1950s, during the Korean War, as a young woman from rural northeast Texas seeking opportunity and a path into the medical field. Enlisted as a high school hospital recruit, she excelled and finished second in her class, going on to serve as a hospital corpsman.
At the time, female service members were not deployed overseas, so Severerino was stationed stateside at Philadelphia Naval Hospital, where she worked in the OBGYN ward and the emergency room on duty weekends, which she especially enjoyed.

“I really loved it and I learned so much,” Severerino said. “In the service, you develop discipline, strength and how to improvise. Those lessons stay with you for life.”

While in the Navy, she met her husband, whose support later helped her pursue a formal nursing degree from Delaware County Community College while raising their four children. Before that, she served not only as a stay-at-home mother, but also as her family’s stay-at-home nurse– removing stitches, dressing injuries and administering medications– later balancing her own coursework alongside her children at the dinner table.

After earning her nursing degree, Severerino worked at Haverford Hospital, Riddle Hospital and Mainline Health, retiring at 73. She then devoted five years to Community Volunteers in Medicine, caring for low-income and uninsured patients.

“In the Navy, I could do so much hands-on care and really use my skills directly with patients you couldn’t get in school back then, and those experiences shaped the nurse I became. When I became a nurse in the civilian world, I followed doctors’ orders, but all that experience stayed with me and helped me care for my family and my patients,” Severino reflected.

“Nursing has evolved so much since then. Today, nurses have more autonomy, flexibility and opportunity than ever, and it’s a wonderful career for anyone who wants to make a real difference,” Severerino added.

Severerino continues to embody the dedication and compassion that defined her career, finding joy in lifelong learning and staying active. Her decades of experience– from the Navy to caring for her family and patients–have shaped her view of nursing.

“Nursing gives you the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives. It’s not just a job; it’s a calling, and an opportunity to serve and to care,” she said.

To see how you can follow in the footsteps of dedicated nurses like Severerino , visit DCIU.org/LPN for more details.