With a degree in human resources Jessica Osterman understands the influence the right person can have on an organization.
But it wasn’t until she became a registered nurse she truly understood the power she possessed to better someone’s life.
Osterman grew up in Yukon, earned her degree in human resources and immediately started on her master’s.
It was during that process she interned at a local children’s hospital.
What was going on all around her stirred something.
“That was what sparked my interest in nursing,” Osterman said.
She recalled a friend who worked at The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital in Bethany during nursing school.
The feeling she had just wouldn’t go away so she shifted gears and went back to school to earn her ADN at Redlands Community College.
It was after her first semester she decided to apply at the Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital.
“Once I started here I knew this is what I wanted to do,” Osterman said.
She dove right into direct patient care, helping some of the youngest patients with complex medical diagnoses.
“I think what’s special and unique about what we do is you get to see kids when maybe they can’t do anything for themselves and eventually by the time they’re going home they’re doing all these awesome things,” Osterman said.
Osterman celebrated her three-year Children’s Center anniversary this past Friday.
Her human resources background has progressed her career to helping current and future staff.
She helps Children’s Center employees advance their education from nursing assistant to LPN or RN.
She’s also a regular at job fairs with her recruiter.
“I hope it makes them feel more confident in who we are bringing in,” Osterman said of the message sent to staff. “I think it helps me stay focused on our main goal here and not just the fact we need someone to cover.
“I look for people who have a lot of compassion and they’re passionate about children with special needs,” Osterman continued. “We see lot of different cases so being open-minded is important.”
Osterman’s official title is now nursing human resources. She’s found the best of both worlds.
When her calendar isn’t filled she heads out onto the floor.
“I really love it,” Osterman said. “I got into nursing for the patient care but I knew one day I wanted to use my HR background and do something more in administration. I just didn’t think it would happen so fast. Being able to help on the floor and know what our nurses need… I think that’s really important.”
The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital has made a difference for generations of families.
Its rich history dates back to 1898 when Mattie Mallory, the founder, felt God’s call to help the orphans of Oklahoma City.
Through the years the mission has changed, but the primary focus on the well-being of children has always followed Mattie’s basic principles based on faith, hope and love.
After operating The Oklahoma Orphanage at several locations downtown, Mattie moved the children to Bethany, Oklahoma in 1909 where The Children’s Center, a private non-profit hospital serving children with complex medical and physical disabilities, thrives today.
In 1939, the orphans were moved to the Sunbeam Home in downtown Oklahoma City and the original orphanage changed its mission to a medical center for children with polio.
Today, The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital, a private non-profit hospital, offers 24-hour medical care, comprehensive rehabilitative therapies, respiratory care, and special education.
The hospital offers a wide range of medical services, rehabilitative care and social services to children with complex medical needs in long-term care (Complex Care), children in short-term rehabilitation after experiencing trauma such as a brain or spinal cord injury (Pediatric Medical Rehabilitation Unit, PMRU), Sub-Acute Care, and thousands of outpatients through the hospital and The Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital’s Pediatric Clinic.
And every day, Osterman knows she has the power to change lives.
