Brooks Rizzo will Motivate and Inspire You to pursue a career in nursing.
By Evelyn Rios
Brooks Rizzo’s dad, Billy Marlow, encouraged her to apply for a hospital job when she was just 14. Now she’s a Family Nurse Practitioner and hopes to see more people find joy in nursing careers.
We’re sharing her story – and those of some of our other fantastic team members – as we continue to showcase the nursing profession. Here at North Sunflower Medical Center, we have a habit of promoting good nurses on to career-building opportunities.
That’s why we are always on the lookout for more nurses who want to join the NSMC family and become #healthcareheroes. Just like Brooks.
Working Her Way Up
For Brooks, it all started with a part time job at then-North Sunflower County Hospital. “My dad, Billy Marlow, thought medicine was a good profession that was stable,” Brooks tells us.
So, as a teen she began a series of jobs at the hospital, first handling paperwork as a clerk and then as an assistant getting to know all the positions. “I learned how to take blood pressure in the ER. I remember it to the day,” she says. “A part time job in medicine can give you so much experience. It’s very rewarding.”
“At the time, there was a one-room rural clinic,” she says. “Now we have 96 employees.”
Not only is Brooks a Family Nurse Practitioner, she is also the provider coordinator and clinic director at the Sunflower Rural Health Clinic.
Brooks said one of the many positives of nursing is the ability to continue training for more specialized jobs, as well as the option to switch to different types of positions in various departments – from the emergency room to obstetrics to geriatrics.
Nursing is a growing field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists nursing as one of the top occupations in growth, with the RN workforce expected to increase from 2.9 million in 2016 to 3.4 million in 2026. An additional 203,700 new RNs are needed each year through 2026 to fill newly created positions and to replace retiring nurses, according to the bureau.
Saving Lives, Helping People, Making Connections, Bringing Joy
Brooks said her grandmother, Lillian Carpenter of Drew, was a nurse. Today’s technology has dramatically changed nursing, like phone apps that provide instant helpful information and electronic charts.
Some things remain the same. Like the personal relationships nurses make.
“You are saving lives. You are helping people both physically and mentally. You make connections with families,” she said. “That brings joy.”
After getting her nursing degree, Brooks returned to school for a master’s. One of her tips for aspiring nurses: “It’s important to have a mentor on the job when you are new to learn from and keep you grounded in the fast-paced environment.”
Brooks remembers her early years getting comfortable with the hospital routine. “I thought I can do that.”
She encourages anyone with an interest in helping others to consider a career at North Sunflower Medical Center.
“You will meet people who motivate and inspire you,” she said.
If you’re inspired by Brooks’ story, you can learn more about career opportunities by going to our Careers page.