Rita Hamner
August 2021
Rita
Hamner
,
RN, BSN
Behavioral Health
SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
,
OK
United States
Rita has been remarkable as a team player in working with numerous doctors, nurses, therapists, patients and their families.
Rita started in the nursing profession at age 14 as a Candy Striper. At age 16, she took the Nurses Aid course at the Vo-tech and worked part time as a CNA. She became an LPN at age 22 and worked for 11 years in this capacity. In 1991 she graduated from OU with a BSN. Rita has worked in various positions over the years within the nursing field. She has worked on Med-Surgery units, Emergency Rooms, Pediatrics, Physician's offices, Obstetrics, Newborn and Neonatal ICUs and Behavioral Health. I was the director for two home health agencies in Northwest Oklahoma.
For the past 20 years, she has worked in Behavioral Health and has been at SSM St. Anthony for 16 years. “It has been a great experience. I must say that I have loved each place, that I have had the privilege to work” and says "my coworkers have been awesome. In 50 years, I have never received a bad evaluation or had conflicts with my coworkers or with the doctors. I went into nursing because I love people, and this was a calling on my life.” Rita has had the opportunity to train and mentor numerous students and nurses. "Young people have asked me if they should go into nursing. My response is for them to start as a nurses aid and see if this profession is suited to them. It is not for everyone. There is a great deal of commitment and self-sacrifice involved. Hospital shifts often involve long hours and some stressful situations. The medical profession is more complex and involves more documentation and accountability than ever before. However, the rewards are great! I would not trade the memories and experiences I have had for anything. Finishing my career at SSM was a good choice and I am grateful to everyone who made it possible.”
Rita has been remarkable as a team player in working with numerous doctors, nurses, therapists, patients and their families. She is kind, soft-spoken, and puts others’ needs first while being a caregiver in her home for her husband. Rita has reminded this team of Medicare guidelines and stays in step with Joint Commission requirements and has not complained about the numerous changes that occur in behavioral health. Rita ensures that each patients’ needs are met from head-to-toe often checking that they are medication compliant, encourages them to take care of their heart, lungs, to eat healthy foods and get exercise in addition to their psych needs.
Rita sets an example for this team in staying focused on our mission by "going with the flow" of the changes within this industry. She also encourages the team members if we experience frustration and is able to find answers to the questions that we have. Rita has remained calm and patient in some very tough situations in which patients may be angry, experiencing psychosis or personal illnesses. Rita is an exceptional person in that she does not shy away from the tough calls that must be made, gives her all to ensure that each patient is cared for, and encourages the team members that she works with. She has managed to be non-critical and nonjudgmental to the different populations we work with. Rita handles the pressures that come in numerous directions with a smooth, pleasant calmness that affects the rest of the team in a positive way. Rita has a sense of elegance, grace, respect, is authentic, and coordinates specific health services outside of outpatient psych services.
An example is several patients have mentioned having hormonal issues and Rita has been able to educate them and refer them for additional services. An example I witnessed is of a patient who continued to smoke cigarettes despite being on oxygen. Rita referred our patient to the National Tobacco Cessation quit line, the patient contacted her months later and thanked her for caring so much. Rita has been kind to uncooperative patients and is excellent at explaining the benefits of actively participating in the intensive outpatient program and continues to encourage them.
For the past 20 years, she has worked in Behavioral Health and has been at SSM St. Anthony for 16 years. “It has been a great experience. I must say that I have loved each place, that I have had the privilege to work” and says "my coworkers have been awesome. In 50 years, I have never received a bad evaluation or had conflicts with my coworkers or with the doctors. I went into nursing because I love people, and this was a calling on my life.” Rita has had the opportunity to train and mentor numerous students and nurses. "Young people have asked me if they should go into nursing. My response is for them to start as a nurses aid and see if this profession is suited to them. It is not for everyone. There is a great deal of commitment and self-sacrifice involved. Hospital shifts often involve long hours and some stressful situations. The medical profession is more complex and involves more documentation and accountability than ever before. However, the rewards are great! I would not trade the memories and experiences I have had for anything. Finishing my career at SSM was a good choice and I am grateful to everyone who made it possible.”
Rita has been remarkable as a team player in working with numerous doctors, nurses, therapists, patients and their families. She is kind, soft-spoken, and puts others’ needs first while being a caregiver in her home for her husband. Rita has reminded this team of Medicare guidelines and stays in step with Joint Commission requirements and has not complained about the numerous changes that occur in behavioral health. Rita ensures that each patients’ needs are met from head-to-toe often checking that they are medication compliant, encourages them to take care of their heart, lungs, to eat healthy foods and get exercise in addition to their psych needs.
Rita sets an example for this team in staying focused on our mission by "going with the flow" of the changes within this industry. She also encourages the team members if we experience frustration and is able to find answers to the questions that we have. Rita has remained calm and patient in some very tough situations in which patients may be angry, experiencing psychosis or personal illnesses. Rita is an exceptional person in that she does not shy away from the tough calls that must be made, gives her all to ensure that each patient is cared for, and encourages the team members that she works with. She has managed to be non-critical and nonjudgmental to the different populations we work with. Rita handles the pressures that come in numerous directions with a smooth, pleasant calmness that affects the rest of the team in a positive way. Rita has a sense of elegance, grace, respect, is authentic, and coordinates specific health services outside of outpatient psych services.
An example is several patients have mentioned having hormonal issues and Rita has been able to educate them and refer them for additional services. An example I witnessed is of a patient who continued to smoke cigarettes despite being on oxygen. Rita referred our patient to the National Tobacco Cessation quit line, the patient contacted her months later and thanked her for caring so much. Rita has been kind to uncooperative patients and is excellent at explaining the benefits of actively participating in the intensive outpatient program and continues to encourage them.