Medwatch: Hospital & Nurse Appreciation

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - Since 1951, Comanche county memorial hospital has provided care, life-saving treatments, and even jobs for our community.

When you walk in for your appointment its no secret that you’ll see someone familiar. Nurses like Debrah Recklein have been at the hospital for 35 years, and said they enjoy what they do, and love witnessing the hospital continue to expand. But, did you ever wonder why employees stay so long at the hospital?

Well its because of these three words: Opportunity. Growth. & Family.

“we do a lot more of microscopic stuff now than what we did when I first stared here,” Debrah said.

Debrah started as a scrub technician, working her way up to becoming a nurse who works in cardiovascular surgery. She said during her time at the hospital she’s noticed several changes that includes faster surgeries and recovery times.

“You know it wasn’t as confined in the O.R. Now we have to fit all this equipment in, it makes it quite interesting rearranging to make sure everything works for the rooms,” she laughed.

Surgery isn’t the only department with long-term employees and changes. If you head upstairs to the pharmacy, you’ll meet Pharmacy director Cheryl Hale who’s been with CCMH for 35 years, and is finishing the release of the 24-hour pharmacy!

Outside of Hale’s career, she said some of her family members have even worked at CCMH, which made her feel as if the hospital is her home away from home.

“I started as a pharmacy technician back in 1987 straight out of highschool...then worked as a pharmacy technician to an intern stayed after college and worked as a pharmacist. i’ve worked almost every role... retail pharmacist...night pharmacist...and after working several years of nights & raising my kids I was promoted to pharmacy director,” Cheryl said.

And in physical therapy, Mr. Priddy has worked at CCMH for 35 years as an occupational therapist

“I didn’t grow up here in Lawton, I was just born here. I like the size of the community. Im from a very small town, and Lawton is big enough for me. the hospital has  grown quite a bit since I’ve been here and I just like to do what i do, but especially here and its been able to work out for me,” said Priddy.

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