Director: Nursing one of the best jobs in the world

May 3—Erica Tadlock always felt a calling to become a nurse.

Tadlock currently is Director of Nursing at Belfair of McAlester and also at the Van Buren House — but her career path goes all the way back to her childhood.

"One of my earliest memories is helping my grandfather," Tadlock said.

During a building project, he inadvertently stepped too close to another worker and was accidentally hit on the head with a clawhammer, Tadlock said. He took quite a hit from the swinging hammer, and had some recovery time at home. Although still little more than a toddler, Tadlock's natural nursing instincts fell into place, and she joined her grandmother in helping him during the recovery process.

"I helped my mamaw put him back together," she said.

Not only did she have a natural feeling to want to help others, with both her parents becomin nurses, Tadlock feels as if she's been destined for the profession. She said her father, Johnny Glenn, is a psychiatric nurse at Mercy Hospital Ada, while her mother, Pamela Glenn, is retired, with the McAlester Regional Health Center the last facility where her mother worked prior to retirement. Both parents are RNs, Tadlock said.

Still, it's one thing to want to become a nurse. Like others who achieved the goal, Tadlock put in all the hard work to make her career possible.

A 1998 McAlester High School graduate, Tadlock took a break after graduation to do some personal things before ultimately deciding to pursue her lifelong dream of a nursing career.

"I went to Eastern Oklahoma State College and got a degree in nursing," she said, becoming an RN, or Registered Nurse, in the process. She then attended East Central University in Ada, where she obtained a higher nursing degree.

She started her first nursing job at McAlester Regional Health Center, where she worked in a number of areas.

"When I started, I was on the surgery floor for about a year," she said."I've done home health, ICU and the ER."

For a time, Tadlock worked as part of the medical flight crew at MRHC, which often consisted of taking flights with the helicopter crew. At times she had to treat patients at the scene where they were being picked up for transport, due to situations that required emergency care on the spot. She then accompanied them on a flight either back to the McAlester hospital or to another medical facility where they were being transported.

Tadlock also worked in other health-related fields, such as in the home health field with Oklahoma Health Care Solutions.

Tadlock said she's been working in assisted care for about the last 16 months. She started at the Van Buren House in December, 2020, and in January, 2021, she came on-board at Belfair, serving as the Director of Nursing at both sites.

How does she balance the work at both facilities?

"I try to do 50-50," Tadlock said. "It depends on the week and what's going on."

Her job as Director of Nursing at both assisted living facilities consists of exactly what the title indicates.

"I'm over all the nursing staff for both facilities," she said.

Her passion for caring for others continues in much the way it began when she helped care for her grandfather while a child.

"I love being able to take care of people," Tadlock said. "I love making them feel better, whether it's giving them a glass of water or helping ease their pain."

Holding an administrative position doesn't mean Tadlock has gotten away from what led to her love of nursing in the first place. Whenever a member of her nursing staff has to miss work, she's ready to help fill in if needed.

"I'll take up shifts on the floor if someone calls in," Tadlock said. "Today, I'm working on the floor."

Her reason for doing so goes back to her beginnings as a caregiver.

"It gives me a chance to see what my staff feels on-duty," said Tadlock. "It gives me that bedside interaction with patients."

Having worked in a number or areas in the nursing profession, Tadlock is glad she followed the path that led to her career.

"It's rewarding and If it's something you love to do, it's one of the best jobs in the world."

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.