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Hospital hires chief clinical officer
  
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By Pat Hill
In leaving an established position in Pueblo to become chief clinical officer at Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, Sandra Nebl credits the initial interview for her career move.
“The interview with some of the managers absolutely touched my heart. The people who work in this hospital, the majority of whom are part of this community, have a personal ownership, and it’s palpable,” she said. “I think this is where I’m supposed to be.”
Brimming over with goals for the 2-year-old facility, Nebl considers education — for the young and adults — about the possibilities inherent to the medical field vital to the hospital’s success.
“As the person in charge of the clinical service — I have no idea what health-care reform is going to look like — I see that we’re going to need a constant influx of talented health-care workers,” she said.
Lab technicians, respiratory therapists, nurses’ aides, physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, career options at the hospital elevate the area to one of opportunity.
“For those who choose not to go the academic route, we’re always going to have good-paying jobs as far as maintenance and food-service workers. This is a small village, so we need to encourage people to look at us as a potential employer with security,” Nebl said. “This is one of the few businesses where, right now, we’re still hiring and you’ve got pretty good job security.”
Former trauma nurse practitioner at Parkview Medical Center and chief nursing officer at St. Mary Corwin Hospital in Pueblo, Nebl at one time drove an ambulance while serving as an emergency medical technician.
Raised in Beaver Dam, Wisc., a town of 16,000 people, as a child Nebl idealized the profession of nursing, particularly when her parents spoke with reverence, in hushed tones, of “Pam, a registered nurse,” at the local hospital.
“She had on the uniform, looked very professional and I knew she was very smart,” Nebl said. “I never dreamed I’d be smart enough to be a registered nurse. So I never went to college (after high school).”
Easing into the career path, Nebl embarked on a secret mission at the age of 30.
“So I went to nursing school, didn’t tell anybody, signed up for one class and drove from Pueblo to Pikes Peak Community College, because I didn’t want anybody to know,” she said. “I was afraid I’d fail. But I took anatomy and physiology and thought if I could pass that ...”
She passed one class, then another.
“I realized that I could do this,” she said.
With a master’s degree in nursing, Nebl advanced through the ranks of the profession, culminating in the position at the regional hospital.
“This facility has such opportunity. Because it’s smaller we can make real-time decisions. The main reason I said yes to this position is the opportunity to work with Dolores Horvath (the hospital’s chief executive officer). Her reputation is that significant,” she said. “Secondly, to be in a facility where you can really impact, not only the care of the patient, but the community. It’s extremely rewarding.”
“The interview with some of the managers absolutely touched my heart. The people who work in this hospital, the majority of whom are part of this community, have a personal ownership, and it’s palpable,” she said. “I think this is where I’m supposed to be.”
Brimming over with goals for the 2-year-old facility, Nebl considers education — for the young and adults — about the possibilities inherent to the medical field vital to the hospital’s success.
“As the person in charge of the clinical service — I have no idea what health-care reform is going to look like — I see that we’re going to need a constant influx of talented health-care workers,” she said.
Lab technicians, respiratory therapists, nurses’ aides, physicians’ assistants, nurse practitioners, career options at the hospital elevate the area to one of opportunity.
“For those who choose not to go the academic route, we’re always going to have good-paying jobs as far as maintenance and food-service workers. This is a small village, so we need to encourage people to look at us as a potential employer with security,” Nebl said. “This is one of the few businesses where, right now, we’re still hiring and you’ve got pretty good job security.”
Former trauma nurse practitioner at Parkview Medical Center and chief nursing officer at St. Mary Corwin Hospital in Pueblo, Nebl at one time drove an ambulance while serving as an emergency medical technician.
Raised in Beaver Dam, Wisc., a town of 16,000 people, as a child Nebl idealized the profession of nursing, particularly when her parents spoke with reverence, in hushed tones, of “Pam, a registered nurse,” at the local hospital.
“She had on the uniform, looked very professional and I knew she was very smart,” Nebl said. “I never dreamed I’d be smart enough to be a registered nurse. So I never went to college (after high school).”
Easing into the career path, Nebl embarked on a secret mission at the age of 30.
“So I went to nursing school, didn’t tell anybody, signed up for one class and drove from Pueblo to Pikes Peak Community College, because I didn’t want anybody to know,” she said. “I was afraid I’d fail. But I took anatomy and physiology and thought if I could pass that ...”
She passed one class, then another.
“I realized that I could do this,” she said.
With a master’s degree in nursing, Nebl advanced through the ranks of the profession, culminating in the position at the regional hospital.
“This facility has such opportunity. Because it’s smaller we can make real-time decisions. The main reason I said yes to this position is the opportunity to work with Dolores Horvath (the hospital’s chief executive officer). Her reputation is that significant,” she said. “Secondly, to be in a facility where you can really impact, not only the care of the patient, but the community. It’s extremely rewarding.”
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