Nursing at Good Sam
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Profiles/Testimonials

Pat Anderson, RN

Vice President of Patient Care Services


Pat Anderson has been a nurse for over 30 years. She has served as bedside nurse in a variety of ICU settings, and has been working in nursing administration for over 15 years. It was when she served as CNO and COO at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital that she first became familiar with Good Samaritan Hospital.


"When we had a Cardiac case or GI case that we couldn't handle in Bakersfield, often times the physicians would refer the patients to Good Samaritan," says Pat. "It was the quality of the organization and the tertiary services that attracted me to Good Samaritan Hospital. I saw a high level of competency here, plus it was a very caring environment with a holistic approach to nursing care."


When Pat defines nursing, she defines it as "the science of nursing and the art of nursing care." She feels that patients expect to receive scientific, evidence-based care, but what really makes a difference to them is a focus on the art of caring. That's what she found at Good Samaritan, and from her perspective, that's what attracts many skilled and caring nurses to this hospital.


"It's really important for nurses to be associated with an organization that provides quality," says Pat. "They look for that reputation and an environment in which they can have input in the nursing practice. They also look for good working relationships between the nursing staff and the medical staff. We have that at Good Samaritan."


Rosemary Lopez, RN

Staff RN, CCU


Rosemary Lopez joined Good Samaritan Hospital as a New Grad. She chose Good Sam because she was offered a generous scholarship and the opportunity to receive training in Critical Care, a specialty that interested her throughout nursing school. Now, she's enrolled in an ADN to BSN program, and Good Sam continues to support her development.


"I've been given great opportunities here," says Rosemary. "Good Samaritan was willing to train me in the specialty I was interested in. I received didactic training, plus training on the floor with a preceptor.  They gave me the time I needed until I felt comfortable on my own. Now they're helping me get my BSN."


Rosemary appreciates the emphasis that Good Samaritan places on continuing education and advancement. She frequently takes advantage of monthly classes that are offered in such procedures as pacemakers, hemodynamic monitoring and continual renal replacement therapy (CRRT).


"There's also an annual Cardiac Symposium," adds Rosemary. "This is a big event, where all the doctors come and discuss the latest technologies and therapies. Good Sam definitely offers a lot of educational opportunities that I don't see at a lot of other facilities. I'm very proud to be a Cardiac Nurse at Good Samaritan."


Duke Olbes, RN

Staff RN, Emergency


Duke Olbes didn't set out to become a nurse, but he's happy he became one. His mother was a nurse, and in fact, she worked at Good Samaritan as an ICU Nurse for 12 years. Duke was the only one of his siblings to pursue a career in nursing. He joined Good Samaritan in 2001, and worked two years in Med/Surg before joining the Emergency Department.


"There aren't too many jobs where you can go home and feel good about what you're doing," says Duke. "In ER, you see swift feedback. People come in, they're in pain, and with most of them, after two or three hours they feel better and they walk out smiling. You're helping these people out, and you go home with that. It's a good feeling."


Duke commutes to Good Samaritan Hospital from Valencia. With all of the hospitals in Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley, Duke prefers to drive the 40 miles to Good Samaritan because he simply loves the people he works with.


"For me, the important thing is who you work with, and how well you work with each other," Duke explains. "That's the most important thing to me, and that's what I'm happy with at Good Samaritan."