story and photo by James Coburn, Staff Writer
Patients rely on nurses to help them feel safe. They find the comfort of emotional support at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest.
Patients meeting their nurses for the first time want to know more about procedures to boost their confidence. Patients need to know they can depend on their caretakers. The patient is part of the teamwork of physicians, nurses, and medical professionals.
Patients and families welcome direct, open, and honest information spoken in a way they can understand.
People do not always realize how hospitals and disease processes work, said Abe Peters, RN, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest, where he focuses on med/surg and the ER.
Located in Midwest City, SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Midwest serves the health care needs of eastern Oklahoma County and surrounding communities.
Every lifesaving professional at the hospital is mobilized and ready to go with rapid imaging and medication.
Explaining to patients what to expect through the process eases their fears of the unknown. The many words of thanks from family members reenforces Peters’ will to provide excellent care.
Listening skills are maximized. Understanding body language helps nurses get to know their patients.
“I like to see people and develop relationships, I like to do both,” Peters said. “You meet them where they are in life and try to bring a sense of calm and peace back because they’re anxious. And to me it’s choosing the presence of God while I’m doing my labs to bring a calm presence and be reassuring to patients. Last year when my dad had cancer it opened my eyes to how important it is to educate families,” he explained.
Most of his career has been in emergency care. Peters earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in 2020 from Langston University during the COVID pandemic. He then accepted an emergency position in the emergency room for two years at Stillwater Medical Center followed by two more years at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Oklahoma City.
Peters’ past experiences as an ICU nurse gave him a comprehensive understanding of each patient’s diagnosis.
Peters is grateful to work in a career that helps patients heal and reach their personal best in recovery. Being a nurse lets him see the importance of how mind, body, and spirit work together.
“You can address every part of their life to make an impact,” he said. “That’s the reason I went into nursing, so I could be a blessing to people and make an impact on families.”
Peters was inspired to become a surgeon in his youth. When that seemed improbable, he realized that nursing could fulfill his altruistic drive. Seeing people deal with sickness has deepened his perspective in life without becoming jaded. Being an ER nurse is more than working fast to go through the motions, Peters said. He said that nursing has taught him to think of the one patient before him. He follows God’s pace, he said.
“You slow down and think, ‘How can I be a blessing to this person?’” Peters explained.
SSM Health St. Anthony Emergency Medical Service originated from the oldest and largest hospital-based ambulance service in Oklahoma, and it provides emergency response to Midwest City, Choctaw, Nicoma Park, Luther, Spencer, Hickory Hills, Harrah, Jones, Newalla, Forest Park and southwest Lincoln County. The emergency room is located on the ground floor of the hospital. Persons who are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 9-1-1 or visit your nearest emergency room.
There is a lot to admire about the team-oriented group that works with Peters. Patients might have underlying health conditions needing attention.
SSM makes every effort in keeping the hospital well-staffed and have all the tools needed to complete their job efficiently.
The cooperative team of nurses is willing to help one another with the goal of benefiting patients.
Patients are individuals and not a number, Peters continued. Don’t assume anything but learn about their story, he said.
Peters follows the hospital’s motto, “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.”
He balances his life by spending time with his three children and training for his goal of running his first marathon. He trains by running a 5-k or 10-k several times a week.
“It gives me a chance to kind of debrief every day,” he said. “It’s a way to reset your body with all these good endorphins. Physically you feel better because you accomplish something. You notice your body starts working better. Your heart rate is lower overall. It impacts everything in your body.”
