by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer

When meeting Sarah Brown, LPN, it was easy to see why she loves her job so much and why her patients love her. With a loving and caring heart, she explained why she is a nurse and why she enjoys her job.
“I love being a nurse,” Sarah said. “The truth is I love helping people. I think God put me here to help others. I work in rehab and rehab is like a family unit. A lot of the people come in here with something hurting. They are not in the best of moods but when they leave after rehab, they feel so much better. I am very sensitive to other people’s feelings and I try to be understanding, putting myself in their place. I feel like I help a lot of the patients and I KNOW that God wants me here,” she explained.
Sarah has been a nurse for thirty-three years. “Oh my, that’s a long time,” she said with a laugh. “I always knew that I wanted to be a nurse. My mother and my aunt were nurses and I feel like they had a big influence on my life. I had two younger brothers, so of course, I had to mother them. I learned quickly to take care of them when my mother went to work. I went to Red Lands Community College in El Reno, OK. After I got my LPN license, I worked in Pediatrics and Labor and Delivery. From there, I worked at the El Reno Federal Prison and OKC Transfer Center. I’ll admit those two jobs were different in many ways. My last job was at Integris Southwest and now, I am here. I love being a nurse and I like working here,” she said.
What do you feel like the most important thing is that you bring to the hospital? Sarah replied, “With my experience of being a nurse for thirty three years, I find that my knowledge is most helpful to the new nurses that have just from school and this is there first job as a nurse. I have been through the same thing they are experiencing and it is nice to know that I can relate to the situation and be able to help them. It makes them feel a little more at ease too, knowing that I have experienced the same thing.”
Sarah has an excellent relationship with her patients. “I found that the more I treat someone with kindness and respect, they are more likely to open up with me and trust me. Everyone should be treated that way,” she commented.
Motivated by her patients, Sarah said, “It is so rewarding to be able to look forward to going to work, helping people throughout the day. It is such a great feeling knowing that I have done my best in taking care of my patients. Just hearing a thank you for taking care of me makes it all worthwhile.”
“Teamwork is very important here at Integris,” Sarah said. “I work with awesome people. If I need help with a patient, it is not unusual for any of the nurses or therapists to help me. Things run so much better when everyone works together. Plus, the physicians I work with are awesome too,” she said with a smile.
Do you live by any daily guidelines? “I tell myself to enjoy the day and give God all of the glory. I feel like God led me to be a nurse and I am going to make the best of it, knowing that I owe it all to Him,” she replied.
On a personal note, Sarah likes to spend time with her family; two kids, Steven and Kristy along with her four grandchildren, Michael, Daniel, Ella and A.J. Not to forget her four-legged family members that consists of three Chihuahuas. Sarah’s hobbies include fishing and camping, air mattress and tent only. “I love being outdoors and enjoy cooking over an open fire. I try to get away as often as I can, well, when the weather is nice.”
Asking Sarah where she thought she would be in five years. With a quick answer, she said that she would like to continue working at Integris. “Yes, I like helping others that much and I can’t imagine not being here, doing what I love to do.”
Summing up your life in one word, what would it be? “Oh that’s easy,” Sarah said. “It would be LOVE.”

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