Welcome Home
Norman Regional Health System's Welcome Home campaign invites former healers to come back to where they belong!
We are welcoming former healers back home to a solid schedule, familiar faces who know their names and a place where they have strong roots. With our brand-new and updated facilities, a culture of kindness, and clinical health excellence, we invite former healers to rediscover the joys of being home!
Samantha Darnell says an hour-long drive to work is worth it for a culture as good as Norman Regional's!
Samantha Darnell is a nurse from Ada, OK, who’s always called Norman Regional Hospital home! "I've only ever worked for Norman," said Sam. "So when I was a nursing student, I just felt like there was a camaraderie, there was a unity that I didn't see anywhere else."
Sam has dedicated 12 years to Norman Regional, where even temporary breaks never took away her strong sense of belonging. From leaving the health system to spend more time with her kids to living in Japan to support her husband, who is a Christian music songwriter, she’s been repeatedly drawn back to our familiar faces and supportive work environment!
Sam also loves being a nurse: "I love people, I love science, I love teaching, and it's all three, and I see it like a mission field too… showing someone love and compassion and offering the right words," said Sam.
From travel nurse to home, Taylor Elms returned to NRHS!
After years as a travel nurse, Taylor Elms, RN, decided it was time to find a place for him and his family to call home. "We started traveling with our daughter when she was four months old, so she has grown up in a pack-and-play," said Taylor.
When choosing a community for his three-year-old daughter to grow up in, Taylor remembered how much he enjoyed his year working in the Cardiovascular Operating Room (CVOR) at Norman Regional HealthPlex back in 2022 and decided to make his career as a Norman Regional healer permanent. He really liked the surgeons he worked alongside and the culture created by his co-healers.
Ultimately, Taylor says he was drawn to Norman Regional because of its upcoming expansion completion and the opportunity to help grow his team of nurses and scrub techs. He calls it Norman Regional's "phoenix moment"!
Nurse Taylor works on open-heart surgery and some orthopedic cases. He says they are busy, but he loves the rush! His favorite part, though, is the immediate relief patients have after procedures.
Oftentimes working in the CVOR is a thankless job, since patients might only interact with Taylor a little before the operation, but that's okay with him — he loves what he does to take care of our patients' hearts!
Welcome home, Taylor! We know you had job options that span multiple states and we are honored that you chose to come home to us!
Nirmala Basnet Pandey Made the Move Home to NRHS!
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Nirmala Basnet Pandey, RN, first worked at Norman Regional from January 2021 to March 2022. As a registered nurse, she has served in various units across the health system, but she considers the Medical/Surgical department on 3NW at the Porter campus as her "home." This is where she began her career at NRHS and the unit she missed after deciding to leave.
"There are so many reasons I decided to come back, but mainly because of the people who work here and my 3NW manager, Catherine Sison," said Nirmala.
Now back with her "home floor" coworkers, Nirmala is committed to her role as a 'Healer,' finding fulfillment in addressing patients' concerns. She says her favorite part about working with patients is getting to heal what ails them.
"My favorite part of my day is when I am able to get the patients' issues under control, pain, nausea or whatever they may have, relay that to the doctor, get an answer and get stuffing going," said Nirmala.
On a daily basis, Nirmala and her co-healers assist surgery patients both before and after their procedures, as well as medically ill patients, helping manage pain and related issues. Despite the occasional busyness and stress, Nirmala finds it rewarding to witness patients leaving her care feeling significantly better.
Welcome home, Nirmala!
Patrick Livingston Made the Move Home to NRHS
It's no secret that Patrick Livingston, DO, is BACK at Norman Regional Health System! Many of you have celebrated his return or visited him at Primary Care - West Norman.
Our leadership team, staff members and medical community are the reasons
Dr. Livingston listed for coming back home to Norman Regional. As many
of you know, excellence must start at the top for recruitment and retention
numbers to grow and Dr. Livingston's return is proof!
Before Dr. Livingston's brief hiatus from Norman Regional, he practiced
with us for 20 years. He wants everyone to know he's "so thankful
to be back home!" Yet the truth is, we're even more thankful to have him back!
Welcome home, Dr. Livingston!
