Loron Oster
Nurse Leader

Background

I earned my BSN at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing, in Denver, CO. I arrived in Rochester after working in public health, teaching, and working in an ICU. I received my Geriatric Nursing Certification in 2007—a proud moment!!

Time and Career Path at Highland Hospital

I joined Highland Hospital in 1989. I've worked in larger hospitals, but I love the culture here. It's wonderful to know people from different departments and levels and it is easy to interact with everyone.

When I came to Highland, many doors opened for me. I started in the Float Pool and have worked in every area at Highland Hospital except the OR. I've been with the Alternate Level of Care and Acute Medical Detox Unit since 2003.

My Dominant Personality Traits

In my nursing role, I've learned to be a good listener. I take the time to hear what my patients have to say, and sometimes that's just as important as everything else I do for them. I've found that when I listen to patients in a non-judgmental way, they'll show me their strengths. I'm passionate about taking care of this patient population—individuals that others may see as off-putting or unwanted. It is my ministry. Our unit was created to extend the continuum-of-care for these individuals, and we do the best we can to help them.

About the ALC and Acute Medical Detox Unit

This is an exciting and challenging unit. Our patients are diverse and have a wide-range of medical and behavioral needs.

Our ALC patients no longer require acute care but still need the highest level of nursing care to keep them moving toward health and discharge to rehab, long-term care, hospice, a nursing or assisted living setting, or home.

Our detox patients range from young adult to the elderly. They often have co-occurring mental health and complex medical diagnoses. We assess withdrawal and help them marshal the strength to get better and resume a normal life. We try to help people accomplish their hopes and dreams.

Working at Highland allows me to combine my love of bedside nursing, problem solving, teaching and mentoring staff and patients. I work with a care team representing a lot of health team members, and we collaborate to help individuals heal. We have time to approach the patient as a "whole person" and develop relationships with every patient to tailor a plan for success.

Our staff is remarkable. Everyone has an open mind and we all support each other. In addition, every staff member is encouraged to speak his/her mind and is respected. As a result, nurses feel empowered to make a difference in the lives of our patients.

If you join our team, all of your assessment skills, humor, problem solving ability, and teamwork abilities will be utilized!