Duke Stars
Maria Tucker -- Program Manager, Diabetes Treatment Center, Duke Raleigh Hospital
"You can always better yourself and your situation at Duke. There's always a door waiting to be opened."
At 17, Maria Tucker dreamed of working in
America. Now 47, she could be in one of
the ads for American universities that she
saw while studying for a food and nutrition
degree in the Philippines.
"I always said that if I ever got to the U.S.,
I wanted to work in the hospitals," Tucker said.
"I found the opportunities for advanced learning
to be on the cutting edge of nutrition care, and
greater than what I had in the Philippines."
Tucker's interest in Duke increased as she
heard more about it from her sister, who lived
in Miami and later became a Duke nurse. But
when Tucker moved to Miami in 1987, she
encountered a few obstacles before finding her
way to Duke.
"I didn't know how to use a microwave,
didn't drive, and had to get used to speaking
English," Tucker said. She learned English in
school, but Tagalog was her primary language.
Growing up, her father encouraged speaking
English at home — watching American TV
shows and reading English newspapers.
In 1989, Tucker moved to North Carolina and later pursued a master's in public health at the
University of North Carolina. During that time, she visited what's now Duke Raleigh Hospital
because her aunt Isabel Riego worked there, and is currently in Neuro Diagnostics there.
"The people I first met at Duke Raleigh were so friendly. They made me feel at home," Tucker
said. "I felt that since it's not such a big hospital, it would be a great place to work. I would get to
know most everybody and they would get to know me."
Soon after, Tucker got her break and began working at Duke Raleigh Hospital as a dietitian.
After 11 years she was promoted to manager of the Diabetes Center where patient volume has
increased nearly 10 percent since last fiscal year. Tucker said she thrives on the busy environment.
She oversees daily administrative operations and provides diabetes education to patients, instructing
them on using a glucose meter and recognizing signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar.
Under Tucker's leadership, the Diabetes Center received the Abbott Diabetes Care Provider of
the Year Award in 2007. This honor recognizes education programs that exceed national standards
for providing patient care through excellence in caring for diabetics.
While Tucker thrives on the challenges involved, she said the hardest part is dealing with
patients who are not ready to accept their disease.
"That's hard for me to deal with sometimes because I hate seeing people hurting. But being able
to help them accept it and learn to manage the disease — that's rewarding," Tucker said.
Along with her personal drive, the department's dedication also motivates Tucker.
"The staff I have is very professional, and they serve with passion," Tucker said. "I am thankful
for them and the support from our senior leaders. Being a part of a health system that promotes
pride in your work while committing to excellent care and service to patients and the community is
one of the many reasons I chose to work at Duke Raleigh Hospital."
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