Having access to local medical services we can depend on is essential to peace of mind and quality of life for every person in this community.

My work as CEO of Muskogee Regional Medical Center requires me to constantly reflect on the importance of health care both here in Muskogee and elsewhere throughout our nation. It is my hope that this and other columns to follow will provide readers with information that is both timely and pertinent.

Because health care is such a highly complex topic, I had a difficult time deciding where to begin. Ultimately, what makes the most sense to me is to start at the very heart of healthcare — with the profession that’s on the front line of patient care every day: nursing.

Linda Burk has worked 23 of her 30 years as a nurse at MRMC and received her nursing degree from Muskogee’s Bacone College. I sat down with Linda last week to ask her perspective on her profession and how the changes in health care have affected it.

Here’s what she had to say:

Q: What first attracted you to nursing?

A: I wanted to make a difference. I had a passion for helping others.

Q: What do you like best about being a nurse?

A: I love nursing and have never been shy to talk about it. I love being there for patients and doing all that I absolutely can for them. Even when nothing else medically can be done, just being there with them so they know that someone cares makes my job very rewarding. I also enjoy teaching new nurses, mentoring them and watching them grow. I believe that if you don’t learn something every day, then you haven’t done your job.

Q: You’ve been a nurse for 30 years, and I’m sure you’ve worked in a number of areas. What is your favorite?

A: I have served as a nurse in OB, ER, Medical/Surgical and ICU. The surgical floor is my true love. Currently, I’m a house shift supervisor. I enjoy that job because I see I’m accomplishing things. I get the best of both worlds by being involved in management and hands-on nursing.

Q: What has been the key to your successful and lengthy career as a nurse?

A: You have to have satisfaction in your job or it doesn’t work. Job satisfaction is No. 1 —more important than money or anything else. I believe that today more than ever people are talked into pursuing nursing for the wrong reasons. Wanting to be a nurse simply for a steady paycheck will cause you to lose motivation early.

Q: What are the current challenges of being a nurse?

A: Keeping up with all the changes in health care is exhausting. For example, all the new government restrictions and requirements on documentation makes my job much harder. You should be able to take care of patients without a stack of paperwork.

On a broader level, the aging population is a challenging issue because more people are and will continue to need care, while there aren’t enough nurses and physicians to meet that demand. Add to that, that not enough young people are going into nursing right now, and for those who are, there is a lack of nursing instructors.

Q: Is it difficult to balance being a nurse and having a family?

A: I was married with three children before I started nursing school at age 26, so balancing my family life with a career in nursing has always been a challenge. I work a lot, but I am also a role model for my children, and they’re proud of me. I want them to know that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. You just have to work hard to get there.

Q: How has the role of nurses changed over the years?

A: The role of nursing has become that of a patient advocate, not just an order taker.

Q: What are the most important skills a nurse can have?

A: You have to have common sense, know your patient, think ahead and be skilled in time management. A lot of nursing is common sense combined with a solid core education, good technology and a big dose of compassion.

Steve Mahan is the chief executive officer of Muskogee Regional Medical Center, a hospital managed by Capella Healthcare.