Rita Banks RN has worked for OHC for 15 years!!!
She makes me laugh every time I speak with her and she is always up for an adventure. Her OHC jobs have including working for the Federal government, U Mass Hospital, Solutia, Yankee Candle, Lowes Distribution Center, Smith & Wesson and more. We were so proud to go to Fenway Park to watch Rita throw out the first pitch at the game during nurse appreciation night.
Here is Rita’s inspiring story:
My nursing story has been long and prosperous in more than 30 years. I graduated from nursing school in 1983 and have had a variety of careers starting and floor nursing at Duke Medical Center for renal/pulmonary, moving to the ICU after moving back home. My efforts to become a nurse have been long and tireless although I was determined from High School to make it my lifelong career. Many doors have almost closed on me, but I was always able and determined to get my foot in the door before it closed. I became an EMT in 1977 and worked at numerous ambulance services in Eastern and Western MA. In 1983, I graduated nursing school and worked in an ICU shortly after graduation. I continued to work for the ambulance services and in 1983 I also received my paramedic certification and continued for the next seven years employed in ED and ambulance services. 1985 I became a flight nurse and was employed by Boston Med Flight working as a nurse/paramedic. “The best of both worlds.” I continue to work this day for nursing and paramedic services.
I received my BSN in 2017 with the help of many others because of the technology age and my chronological age computers are not my thing but with the help of many young minds, I made it.
I started at OHC because I saw one of the cards in the office I was working at and thought I would give it a try to see if I liked it and have enjoyed the many assignments. There is such a variety, even more now with COVID. This company by far has been my most favorite to work for. The caring and compassion they show to staff is phenomenal – I feel very blessed to have found them. A great management team!!!
The advice that I have for the new nurses is “don’t give up, we need you.” If you are in school, stay there. And if you are not in school, remember the reason that you signed up for this and keep your passion alive. It will not always be easy. Look at me. I was told in school that I would never be a nurse because I was not smart enough and another place told me that I should set my aspirations lower so that I would not be disappointed. Remember you are in charge of your own destiny and you might not get there the first time around and it might take you a little longer than others. But if you want it, you will get there. You do not have to know everything now but “learn new things each day.” And always, always, always enjoy what you do!!
Nursing has taken me a long way through life. I am 64 now and still learning, living, and loving it. You do you – I saw a quote on a piece of paper at one of my jobs and it said:
“Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable.”
My hobby: I travel every two months and am loving life.
I won a contest that I was nominated for in 2019 and was able to throw the first pitch at Fenway Park. The whole hospital rallied for me and I was on the front page for the nomination. Nerve wracking, exciting, and scary to say the least. But lots of fun and an opportunity like no other and greatly appreciated.