Estella
Guerra joins Western’s faculty with 12 years experience in
the nursing field and two years as an adjunct instructor for
Western. Guerra’s first step in becoming a nurse came when she
applied for the licensed practical nursing program in Lawton.
She found the work rewarding and fulfilling and set a goal to
earn a registered nursing degree. While attaining her degree she
began work at the OB ward at Comanche Country Memorial Hospital.
There, she floated between newborn nursery and postpartum. Now a
sophomore instructor at Western, Guerra is deeply passionate
about her work as an educator. "I have really found my niche in
life," said Guerra, "and I believe it found me." Guerra remains
a part-time employee for CCMH, working as a charge RN in the
newborn nursery. She is also an online student with the
University of Phoenix where she is working on a master degree in
nursing education. Guerra has been married for 35 years and has
three daughters and six grandchildren.
Shelly
R. Sichak is the new freshman nursing instructor for
Western’s Duncan campus. She initially did not plan to become a
nurse or an educator, earning a bachelor of science in pre-law
from Cameron in 1989."I never planned to be a nurse or an
educator. That was God’s plan for me." She trained at Duncan
Regional Hospital, starting with their nurse tech program. After
finishing that program she worked as a nurse’s aide every other
weekend while going to school. In 1995 Sichak graduated from OU
College of Nursing at the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma
City and became a registered nurse. In 1996, She began work as a
travel nurse and has had many varied job experiences. According
to Sichak, she has traveled around the country, "I am blessed
each and every day that I work. It’s not my job to take care of
patients, it’s my privilege. " As a travel nurse she even tended
to relatives of celebrities, such as Goldie Hawn’s son and
Barbara Bush’s grandson. "I grew tremendously as a nurse while
traveling," said Sichak, "but I grew even more as an
individual." Sichak is now a freshman instructor for Western’s
Duncan campus. "I am a member of an elite profession. Now, I am
a member of an elite nursing program at Western."
Jennifer
L. Simmons comes to Western from Redlands Community College
where she was the sophomore nursing coordinator. Simmons earned
a Master of Science in nursing education from Southern Nazarene
University and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from
Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She also earned an
Associate of Applied Science in nursing from Redlands Community
College and Practical Nursing from Caddo-Kiowa Vo-Tech. From
2001-2004, she was nurse coordinator at Red Rock West Crisis
Unit in Clinton. Soon after, she started working at Trinity
Hospice in Weatherford as director of clinical services. She
became a nursing instructor at Redlands Community College in El
Reno in 2005 and later moved up to sophomore nursing
coordinator. Simmons is board certified in psychiatric/mental
health nursing.
