Veterans bring heart, skills to Oklahoma Heart Hospital
In his six years in the U.S. Army, including a recent tour to Kuwait, Cpl. Sage Rockow learned a thing or two about making decisions under pressure. It’s just one of the skills needed if you work in a hospital setting.
He currently works as a nursing assistant in the Progressive Cardiac Care Unit at Oklahoma Heart Hospital but is training to become a nurse at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City. He also continues his military service.
“Anybody who is in the military has the urge to help people,” Rockow said.
A career in the medical field seemed like a natural extension of the work he has done in the military.
“I like to take care of people in ways other people can’t,” he said. “The military has taught me discipline and not to fold under pressure.”
In his military service, Rockow is not in a medical position but transferring some of his military skills to the medical field comes easy.
“In the Army, we had combat lifesaver training, it’s basically CPR skills. Those are skills that carry over into my training and the hospital now, but I also find that I handle emergency situations well. That’s certainly something I learned in the military,” he said.
The military has trained specialists in every area needed in local economies everywhere.
Veterans have the proven ability to learn new skills and concepts. In addition, they can enter your workforce with identifiable and transferable skills, proven in real-world situations.
This background can enhance your organization's productivity. The team at Oklahoma Heart Hospital (OHH) recognizes this and has embraced veterans as a source of some of their most qualified employees.
“As a former U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsmen, I understand what it means to be a leader and the necessity to be part of a great team,” said Adam Darby, today a clinical nurse manager at Oklahoma Heart Hospital.
“It’s a team that is committed to seeing a mission through completely and to the absolute best of our ability. In fact, the OHH mission is to provide excellence in service and quality.”
“That is what Oklahoma Heart Hospital does every single day with the patient at the center of our focus. If a veteran is looking to be a part of the best hardworking team, look no further,” he added.
Darby said hiring veterans is not only the right thing to do, it also makes business sense.
“Valuable skill sets that veterans bring to the OHH team include leadership, collaboration, commitment, teamwork and loyalty,” Darby said.
Those skills in action have translated into benefits for the patients being treated at the heart hospital.
“By joining the team at OHH, veterans will certainly enrich the patient experience,” Darby said. “Veterans are often viewed as reliable and matured individuals. When it comes to patient experience those traits are essential.”
The patients who depend on OHH for care have high expectations, as Oklahoma Heart Hospital has been a top-rated hospital in the nation for patient satisfaction.
“As caregivers, veterans are honorable in their commitment, and respectful of patients’ needs,” Darby said. “We veterans have a strong work ethic and tend to be highly committed, following through with a commitment is our duty.”
Oklahoma Heart Hospital offers medical careers in Oklahoma City with a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits and a workplace that reflects the values of their mission to provide excellent quality and service, hospital officials said.
Darby said as a veteran, the heart hospital has been a great fit for him and fellow service members.
“OHH is a great place for veterans to work. OHH values are similar to the basic core values instilled into American armed service members early on by all branches of service. Some examples of core values include integrity, honor, selflessness and duty,” Darby said.
Their co-workers at the hospital and the patients are glad to have them on their team.
“This Veterans Day, we salute our team members who have served in the military. We are blessed to have them serve our patients now, and are proud to work alongside them every day,” said Dr. John Harvey, Oklahoma Heart Hospital CEO.
Oklahoma Heart Hospital is physician-owned and is dedicated exclusively to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease.
Oklahoma Heart Hospital was founded in 2002 as the first alldigital hospital in America solely dedicated to hearts. With North and South campus locations, the hospital has a combined total of 145 licensed beds, with a 1:1 nurse-to-patient ratio in its Critical Care Unit and a 1:4 ratio on its general care floors.
OHH has ranked in the top 1 percent nationally for patient satisfaction since 2003.
For more information, visit www.okheart.com/ oklahoma-medical-careers.