Ashlyn Young was a frequent flyer at McBride Orthopedic Hospital when she played sports in high school.
“I broke my arm four times, four years in a row. I got into health care because of my frequent trips here. I enjoyed the care that I got and wanted eventually to give that to somebody else,” said Young, RN, McBride Orthopedic Hospital, a nationally recognized leader in orthopedics and sports medicine, located in Oklahoma City.
An athletic trainer from McBride attended most of her sporting events where she grew up in Stroud. McBride has trainers visiting some of the rural school that lack the staff to hire a full-time trainer.
Ten months ago, Young earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at East Central University in Ada.
“It was great. I came from a small town, so a smaller university is what I was looking for,” she continued. “It’s small enough that the professors know your name. They’re always the first to answer your questions in person or email over the phone if you need it. They were all there for you.”
Several of her clinical instructors volunteered to serve as references when she applied to work at McBride.
Young spent a recent day having nursing school students from Langston University shadow her at McBride as part of their clinical studies required for graduation. Several schools including Langston and the University of Central Oklahoma spend eight hours a day, once a week for eight consecutive weeks at McBride for clinical studies. The students provide medications and are taught about orthopedic nursing.
“I come from a family of teachers,” Young said. “I always wanted to teach but didn’t want to teach in a school system. And so, when I came up here as a patient, I felt that I loved learning so much more than I did before, and I loved the idea of teaching about sports medicine and about orthopedics and health in general.”
Her mind is always gaining new insights about nursing. And McBride offers programs to be certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support as well as Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Programs are also available to help nurses earn their master’s degrees as well.
McBride makes patient care flow well. Nurses are always on their toes, but they are always willing to help other nurses when a patient needs additional help, Young said.
Patients go into surgery for a good reason. They have been living with pain, sometimes for years, and need a new hip or knee.
“We just encourage them. ‘Give it a couple of days and you’ll be so glad you did it,’” Young tells them. “‘You’ll have a new knee after being in pain for months or years and it will be a downhill slide from there.’”
Nurses help patients prepare for physical therapy when their patients are sent home with a new hip or knee. Patients learn about best care practices to achieve their personal best.
Young said it’s exciting for her to see her patients leave in less pain than before surgery, she said.
“They know they’re going to have a more active lifestyle than they had before,” Young explained.
They know they’re not going to be as limited as they were before. So, it’s very exciting for Young and her patients.
“I’ve seen patients come in here and they say they’ve been wheelchair bound for months because of their pain. They’ve left on their own two feet. If they’re willing to do that — their motivation is something everybody should get to see and experience.”
Young’s diligence in attending to her patients is tantamount to how much quality of care they will receive during her shift. So, she wants them to leave with as much care and education that she can give them, she said.
She is also interested in emergency care. Children often arrive at McBride Orthopedic Hospital’s emergency room as well as adults with broken bones needing surgery. Compassion and patience are needed in all aspects of patient care.
Nursing has taught her that it is never safe to assume anything about anybody, she said.
“Go a little deeper and show compassion and you’ll find out a whole lot. Never judge any book by the cover,” Young said. “We’ve had patients who have come in and been cranky to everybody, but you’re the only one who is caring for them that day and giving them a smile and taking time to listen. You find out they have good reason to be cranky and you just need to give them your time.”
