Pat Anderson, RN
Vice President of Patient Care Services
Pat Anderson began her career 30 years ago as a bedside nurse in a variety of ICU settings, then transitioned to nursing administration where she has provided direction and guidance to other nurses for more than 15 years. Pat recalls that her path to Good Samaritan began when she was CNO/COO of Bakersfield Memorial 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."
As she came to know more about Good Sam, Pat decided to make the move."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."
Pat appreciates Good Sam’s attention to both sides of nursing, what she calls "the science of nursing and the art of nursing care." She believes patients routinely expect scientific evidence-based care, but nurses who practice the art of caring are what really make a difference. It’s the freedom to practice the art of caring that attracts Pat and many other nurses to Good Samaritan.
Another strong attraction is Good Sam’s culture of excellence. "It's really important for nurses to be associated with an organization that provides quality," Anderson said. "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
After graduating from an ADN program, Rosemary Lopez was looking for an employer that supported her desire to continue her nursing education. She found that and more at Good Samaritan. Rosemary accepted a generous scholarship offer from the Hospital, as well as training in Critical Care—a specialty that had caught her attention during nursing school.
"I've been given great opportunities here. 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. Then they helped me get my BSN."
Rosemary appreciates the emphasis that Good Samaritan places on continuing education and advancement. She frequently takes advantage of monthly classes on topics such 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
For Duke Olbes, nursing at Good Samaritan is almost like carrying on a family tradition. His mother was an ICU Nurse at Good Sam for 12 years, and Duke is now following a similar career path. After joining the Good Samaritan team in 2001, he worked two years in Med/Surg before transitioning to the Emergency Department.
"There aren't too many jobs where you can go home and feel good about what you're doing." 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."
For Duke, home is the city of Valencia—a good 40 miles from the Hospital. He tells us he passes several other health care facilities as he drives through Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley on his way to work each day. When asked why he’s willing to go the extra mile to be part of the Good Sam team, he explains, "For me, the important thing is who you work with, and how well you work with each other. That's the most important thing to me, and that's why I'm happy at Good Samaritan."
