The awards ceremony, complete with presentation of colors by the University of South Carolina ROTC Color Guard,  was held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, and also included the presentation of 24 undergraduate nursing scholarships from the South Carolina Nurses Foundation.

When asked how she advises those who are considering nursing as a profession, Oder said she asks if they like to think critically and if they like and do well with time management.

Oder continued, “There are literally hundreds of different jobs that nurses can perform and countless opportunities to be of service, as our population ages.”

As for how to ensure that you can be ready to start each shift, Oder said, “Find a workplace with the same set of values that you have, and look at how they make decisions and how they carry them out.

Make sure that the vision you have is aligned all the way through the organization. In this type of environment, even when you have to make difficult decisions, you will look forward to going to work every day.”

Oder, who lives with her family on the campus of Adawehi Institute and Wellness Center in Columbus, has been in healthcare 17 years. She began as an apprentice to a lay midwife before entering nursing. She is now chief quality officer at Mary Black Health System in Spartanburg, S.C.

– article submitted by Roulettei Gildersleeve