PASSION IN NURSING
SMALL HOSPITAL – LOTS OF TLC : STILLWATER MEDICAL – PERRY
by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer
Welcome to Stillwater Medical – Perry. We provide Perry and surrounding communities with innovative medicine and the compassionate care you deserve. As your neighbors, friends, and people you see every day, we consider it a privilege to be able to help you stay as healthy as possible – keeping you conveniently close to home. -Stillwater Medical Perry-
Here in Perry, Oklahoma, you will find a smaller hospital than some of the other hospitals outside of Perry, OK but this one is full of a friendly, knowledgeable staff. Visited by surrounding areas, this hospital sees patients from all of the surrounding areas. This is where I met Tracie Klingaman, RN, assistant DON, who has been a nurse for nineteen years.
Growing up in Ponca City, Tracie attended LPN school at Pioneer Vo-Tech in 1991 and received her RN from Northern Oklahoma College in Ponca City, OK in 2005 while she served in the military. She served in the reserves and was stationed in Wichita Kansas where her unit gave physicals to the National Guard and Reservists. That was for ten years. She has been at Stillwater Medical Perry since 1997.
What qualities make a good nurse? “I think a nurse needs to be empathetic, attentiveness and full of kindness,” she replied.
Tracie’s favorite part of her job is the interaction she gets to have with the other employees. “Being the assistant DON, I need to do several jobs she said. “I am in charge of the surgery and head up the Infection Control Preventions. I handle a little bit of everything, “she said.
Did anyone influence you to be a nurse? “Funny you should mention that. When I was seven years old, I had a lot of health problems and stayed in the hospital for quite a while. There was a nurse that was always by my side taking care of me. She would sit on the edge of the bed, turn on the TV and tune it to the soap opera, Days of Our Lives. I thought it would be the greatest thing to grow up and be a nurse, sit beside a patient, turn on the TV and watch Days of our Lives,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t think that is the way it works,” she added. “I still remember that nurse’s name though…Ursula Big-Goose.”
What is your biggest asset that you contribute to work? “That would be my guidance. Being in charge of several things, the nurses look to me for guidance and I want to be able to provide that,” she said.
Tracie’s advice to someone going into the medical fiend would be to, “Continue to have a goal. Reach your goal and don’t give up for anything. You will be glad that you stuck with it,” she said.
Family time is an important part of Tracie’s life. “I love to spend time with my husband, children and grandchildren. My family is so precious to me. I have Rett, two years old, Ryder, and five years old and last but not least, Faith, ten years old.”
Asking Tracie to describe herself she said. “I like spending time with my family. I don’t like to talk about it that much but I have Stage 4 Kidney cancer. Of course, I don’t know how long it will be and neither do the doctors. Only time will tell. Until then, I will continue to enjoy my life and live it to the fullest. I want to spend the amount of time I have having a good time with my family. I’m just making the most of the situation,” she said. “My husband, children and grandchildren are what hold me together right now. They are my motivation for everything. I’m even doing a few things that I never thought I would do before,” she said with a smile. “Of course, I can’t tell you everything,” she added with a laugh.
Tracie loves camping. “There are quite a few places around here to camp but this is definitely not the time to think about camping due to the flooding.”
Describing herself, Tracie is definitely a take charge person, a great person to get advice from plus getting a little guidance along the way.
Summing up Tracie’s life in one word, she said, Caduceus, the symbol of medicine. “Yes, I think this sign would fit me just right,” she said. “Perhaps, I will get a tattoo to complete my time in the medical field,” she said. “I might just do that!”
LICENSING ANALYST
Coordinates licensure activities, including approval of licensure applications. Communicates with applicants, licensees, nursing education programs, other state and federal agencies, and employers. Min. 4 years experience as an RN. Bachelor’s degree in nursing required. Contact Jackye, OK Board of Nursing, (405) 962-1809.
Application review begins 6/19/19. Position will remain open until suitable candidate hired.
