Through a partnership with Odessa College, Medical Center Hospital on Tuesday got an infusion of 18 nurses.
A signing ceremony was held in the Zant Room of the Saulsbury Campus Center. The students, who graduate Friday, will begin or continue their nursing careers at MCH in a variety of care areas from neonatal ICU to neurology and cardiac catheterization.
The students signing with or have received official offers from MCH are Allison Blamey, Yeethir Cherid, Treya Rodriquez, Jazmine Ornelas, Yaritza Maldanado, Baylon (Rubi) Morales, Jesse Ortiz, Danice Anoos, Dannyse Carmona, Crystal Garcia, Nikita Lugo, Diana Cortinas Caro, Priscilla Lopez, Brittany Lucero, Gisela Ramirez, Holden Smith, Abigail Sanchez and Danielle Leesher.
Yesenia Walsh, OC director of the associate degree nursing program, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the support MCH has provided to the nursing department at OC.
“Your commitment to education and health care has had a profound impact on the lives of our students and the communities that we serve. The partnership between Odessa College and Medical Center Hospital has proven to be instrumental in shaping the future of nursing professionals. Your continuous support has not only provided invaluable resources but has also created a nurturing environment where aspiring nurses can flourish and develop the skills necessary for success,” Walsh said.
She added that MCH administration and staff have been an integral part of helping students navigate the challenges and complexities of the healthcare profession.
Medical Center President and CEO Russell Tippin congratulated the students and looks forward to them coming on board. He said traffic in the emergency room has increased 30 percent from last year and as of Tuesday, MCH had 2,002 births with 26 days left in the year.
“You’re about to walk into a caring family, giving, loving environment that we see people all the time that come in … when they are absolutely at their worst spot ever. You’re going to be the ones that are going to treat them, heal them and get them back on their way. This is a huge responsibility,” Tippin said.
He added that MCH deals in miracles every day.
“We deal in changing people’s lives. We deal in putting people back into their normal world. That’s what you’re going to do. I can see it already. What a great day today is for you, for Odessa College, for us, for the Permian Basin and for you and your family as you take the next step in your life journey,” Tippin said. “I’m proud to be part of that with you. I look forward to seeing you scared and running up and down the hall just like me. I can tell you that there’s no place like home and that when you come home you know what’s right.”
Tippin said he and OC President Gregory Williams have talked about this partnership for four or five years.
“What an awesome event we have today. I think we’ve started something in here today that others around us are going to look and say wow man. They’re doing something right,” Tippin said.
Williams said MCH has more than 600 nurses. Tippin said the hospital currently has about 200 nurse openings and that number fluctuates.
“The nurses are the people who run the hospital,” and OC is going to have to educate more of them, Williams said.
Tippin said the hospital’s No. 1 need is nursing staff.
“This group, they’re all already plugged in, they’re already committed. They know where they’re going and they’ll hit the ground running and fill those spots. What we need these people to do is go tell two or three of their friends about this program so we can just keep turning them out,” Tippin said.
He noted that educating nurses is not a fast process, but what they want is a consistent process and they want to see the program grow.
Tippin said MCH has worked very closely with Williams and Odessa College to build the pipeline for nursing. When the students get into the RN or LVN, the hospital reaches out early.
“We start recruiting them early. We start putting them in volunteer positions and part-time positions, so as soon as they’re trained and licensed and they want to work with us they can go straight into the workforce, which is what we’re going to accomplish with the simulation hospital (which will be in the new Wood Health Sciences Building). This is just a head start on that … program,” Tippin said.
Jesse Ortiz is going to work in neurology. Ortiz earned a bachelor’s degree in health administration from another university and they didn’t have a ceremony like the one on Tuesday.
“I always wanted to be a nurse. Back in the day, it was not possible for me. Family made it hard … and Odessa College really helped me to be successful,” Ortiz said.
He added that he feels prepared to put his training into practice. Ortiz was a nurse intern for two years at MCH and the staff at OC helped him keep his schedule and earn an income.
“I am ready for it … Like I said, long life dream that is finally true,” Ortiz said.
Jazmine Ornelas said the event Tuesday was very nice. Like Ortiz, she also interned at the hospital.
She added that she always wanted to be a nurse and was inspired by watching the providers who cared for her aunt.
“I’m excited to be serving the community and providing care for acute patients,” Ornelas said.
