100 Years of Nursing History
When West Nebraska Methodist Episcopal Hospital opened its doors on April 15, 1924, its leaders knew that the hospital would need well-trained nurses for years to come. Six months later, the School of Nursing opened, marking the beginning of Regional West’s rich nursing legacy in the region.
Four students were enrolled when the school opened in October 1924. There was no tuition, but students were required to attend school from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a mandatory chapel service at 6 a.m. Applicants needed to be single, between the ages of 18 and 30, and have ‘good moral character,’ according to the 1941 application requirements.
As the hospital grew, so did the school. In the 1940s, Nelson-Ladely Hall, which was previously a dormitory for sugar factory workers, was purchased to house nursing students in Gering. Though nursing school was strict, it wasn’t all work and no play. Junior-senior banquets, proms, and alumni banquets were proud school traditions.
Medicine advanced rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s, and nurse training evolved with it. New procedures, advanced medical technology, and physician recruitment began to transform West Nebraska General Hospital (WNGH) from a community hospital into a regional referral center. This meant that nurses could work in specialties that were usually only found in larger cities.
Michelle Powell, RN-C, started nursing at WNGH in 1985. After working on 2 West for 14 years, she made the switch to surgical nursing and has seen groundbreaking advancements first-hand.
“I remember Dr. Holloway being the first to do laparoscopic lap band surgeries here and being part of breast cancer sentinel node studies,” she said. “Our surgeons have always been cutting-edge, and it’s been exciting to witness that. I like working in the surgical area with my patients.”
In May 1988, hospital administrators and representatives from the University of Nebraska Medical Center School of Nursing agreed to transform the school into a four-year program under the direction of the university. This marked the beginning of the end of WNGH’s School of Nursing, but it laid a strong foundation for the future of nursing in the region.
Today, nurses at Regional West can specialize in a variety of fields, from medical-surgical nursing to labor and delivery. The facility also offers a comprehensive benefit and wage package and opportunities for growth in different areas. Emmylou Green, RN, a new graduate nurse on 3rd floor, said she learns more about nursing each day.
“I’m grateful I started on this floor because it’s so diverse and I can do so many things. It’s given me such a solid foundation,” she said.
Nurse Recruiter Anastasia Manley, RN, BSN, said Regional West’s investment in developing its own nurses sets the hospital apart.
“We offer the specialties of a larger hospital, but we’re like a smaller hospital because we act as a family unit,” said Manley. “We care about each other, and we want to see each other grow.”