story and photo by James Coburn, Staff Writer
Aimee Jones, RN, wants to see the best outcomes for newborns. She is gaining a deeper understanding of disease prevention through education.
Jones had always wanted to work in the medical field since an early age. She chose nursing because it is patient centered with a great health care focus in helping people.
“I’m trying to prevent more disease and the later stages of disease,” Jones said.
Jones is currently a pediatric nurse at the Bethany Children’s Health Center. She is working toward her Master of Public Health degree at the Hudson College of Public Health, located on the campus of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Being in her fourth semester, she will graduate in May.
Jones became a registered nurse three years ago after earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Oklahoma City University’s Kramer School of Nursing.“ They prepare you well for nursing.”
“You spend a full two years doing clinicals — learning the basic skills first, and then you build on those skills when you’re out in the field” she said of Kramer. “And the staff is there to help you with any questions. And once you’re in clinicals, they can come around to help you do specialized things. They have a lot of experience as well, and so they know a lot of information. So, you have good training.”
After she graduates from the OU Hudson College of Public Health, Jones plans to work at the Bethany Children’s Hospital for a while and perhaps to work for some tribal communities in the public health field. “I’ve always wanted to advance and get a master’s degree,” Jones said. “I’m a Gates Millennium Scholar, so they will fund seven different degree areas for master programs and public health was one of those and it fit with my previous degree experience.”
There is a lot of education needed for pediatric and maternal education in the developmental stages of pregnancy, Jones said. Master degree programs offer various routes such as epidemiology and specific health promotion programs.
“My degree specifically encompasses all that, so I kind of get a little bit of everything in my training,” she said. “So, I think it is good overall to get experience in different areas. For me personally, I feel like it’s been challenging, especially during this COVID time.”
Jones is relieved that COVID rates continue to decline in Oklahoma. As a result, Hudson College facilitates more in-person classes. She commends the professors for their comprehensive knowledge and depth of experience in their field.
“They’ll be ready to help with anything they can. You can just email them or talk to them,” she said. “All of my professors are very willing to help. Also, they have some connections they can set you up with after graduation. So, they just really want to prepare you after graduation in finding a career field.”
A nursing career offers job security in a variety of ways. Nurses are in demand. They can work with adults, children, and teenagers. Mental health is becoming a more prominent role for nurses today, Jones said.
“You can move upward in nursing,” she said. “There’s a lot you can do. You don’t have to stay at one place forever if you like to move around.”
Her field of nursing requires a lot of empathy for her patients and parents. Communication is key for a nurse working with the pediatric population. Teamwork is essential in nursing in order to ensure best practices.
The staff has been very supportive at the Bethany Children’s Health Center, she continued.
A lot of patients there require complex care. They may have been born with a health condition. It’s different from a typical hospital environment.
“Some live there for the long-term. They require more specialized care with ventilators and kind of around-the-clock care. Others are there for rehabilitation after an accident and they are learning how to do basic life skills again,” Jones explained.
A lot of her long-term care patients can speak normally. They have different capabilities. Even the patients at Bethany Children’s Health Center who cannot speak have individual ways of communicating what they like and dislike, Jones said. Non-verbal observation skills are an important tool in recognizing pain.
“You just kind of get to know that about people,” Jones said. “There are all types of things they are getting to do that they might not be able to do otherwise.”
Jones said staff at Bethany Children’s Health Center demonstrates love and commitment for the children there. They make sure the children are dressed comfortably every day. Music therapy is helpful, too.
Jones also has an affinity with music, especially during her leisure time. She relaxes by taking walks on her days off. She said it helps her to watch a show or read a book.
“Family is a big one for me,” she said.
For more information on Hudson Bethany Children’s Health Center visit https://www.bethanychildrens.org/
