By James Coburn, staff writer
The Francis Tuttle Technology Center Danforth Campus in Edmond is a learning center for high school students interested in becoming a certified nurse aide or an advanced unlicensed assistant.
“We prepare them for that next step in life,” said Lauren VanOsdol, RN and pre-nursing instructor.
VanOsdol is one of two health career instructors at the Danforth campus. She works closely with instructor Nicole Meek, RN.
Meek has been a registered nurse since 2009 since earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Northwestern State University, located in Alva.
She worked at INTEGRIS Health Southwest Medical Center in Oklahoma City and INTEGRIS Health Edmond Hospital before becoming a nursing instructor at Francis Tuttle.
Meek is passionate about helping others climb the career ladder to achieve the success they want in life.
“We get to help students find that this is a good fit for them. Before they go to college — before they spend that money — they get to decide if this is something I really want to do,” Meek said. “Once they find something in our program whether it’s clinical, career research or maybe shadowing, they really find a passion in the area they abide with.”
Meek admires their fresh approach in making a difference in life. She said there are times when nurses experience burnout.
“So, their fresh perspective keeps me less burned out. I get to see them have success and really find their place,” Meek continued. “That helps me every year refresh and reset, and get a new group that really wants to be a part of it.”
Being science certified, she teaches first-year students’ anatomy and physiology. This allows students to earn a science credit at their high school. She prepares second year students to become licensed assistants, which is a step between a CNA and an LPN. Their skills include inserting catheters, drawing blood, sterile dressing change, and tube feedings.
Former students will often come back to share that Francis Tuttle prepared them for nursing school. They were a step ahead in beginning their skills lab.
VanOsdol is in her fifth year of teaching. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Oklahoma Baptist University in 2004.
She began her career on the med-surg floor at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. VanOsdol later was a labor and delivery nurse at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City. And she helped open Mercy Edmond I-35 in 2015. She became the second nursing instructor at Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus in 2022. The campus opened in 2021. She found the staff to be very supportive of each other.
“The main goal here in all of the academies and career-tech programs is getting these kids ready for life. We all have that common goal,” VanOsdol said. “You’ll see a lot of collaboration on this campus.”
They spend a day teaching cosmetology students CPR, first aid, signs of a stroke, and what to do if a client has a seizure. She teaches automotive students basic body mechanics while her students learn to change a flat tire and basic car maintenance in the event, they have an automotive breakdown on the way to nursing school.
“There is a lot of creativity and design innovation on this campus,” VanOsdol said.
The instructors also facilitate a College and Career Readiness course for students to visit nursing schools. They experience a simulation lab. Students recently went to a college and career fair where they met with Mercy Health and the Bethany Children’s Center.
“They actually see what jobs are out there,” VanOsdol said. “And they have to look up how much it costs to go to a college of their choice.”
VanOsdol and Meek are always in contact with local colleges. The program works with an advisory committee representing Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Central Oklahoma.
“We get feedback from them about what we can do here to prepare students for your program,” VanOsdol said.
Helping to navigate young students to move forward in their career is incredible, she added.
“My first group of students are now seniors in nursing school. I get to communicate with them. They are like, ‘Hey, I just did this test. You all taught me, and I had a lot easier time than other people did. I was more comfortable with clinicals because I did it with you,’” she said.
Students invite Meek and VanOsdol to their graduation ceremonies.
“I hope that we help the nursing shortage, so they don’t go out and say, ‘I hate this.’ They know all the options they can move to if they don’t like that particular area they are in,” VanOsdol explained. “And they also go in knowing this is going to be hard. It’s not a surprise to them.”
