Ohlinger and Petersen receive IHERF Scholarship

Harlan, Iowa – Nicole Ohlinger and Mary Petersen, two of Myrtue Medical Center’s employees have been awarded a $3500 scholarship from the Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation (IHERF), which is supported by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA).

Nicole Ohlinger, BSN, RN, of Portsmouth, is studying for her Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Nicole has been with Myrtue Medical Center for 10 years and is currently the manager of the Specialty and Surgical Clinic departments. Before her role as nurse manager, she worked as an RN in the emergency department, medical-surgical floor, postpartum unit, and cardiology clinic.

Mary Petersen, BSN, RN, is studying for a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) Clinical Analyst/Informatics with an emphasis in health informatics at Grand Canyon University. Mary has been with Myrtue Medical Center for nine years and is currently the Clinical Analyst/Informaticist. Before her role as the Clinical Analyst/Informaticist, she worked as an RN in the emergency department, nursing supervisor, education facilitator, and a taekwondo and wellness instructor at the Petersen Family Wellness Center. Ohlinger and Petersen are among 60 students from Iowa who have received assistance this year from the IHERF Health Care Careers Scholarship Program.

IHA established the IHERF Health Care Careers Scholarship Program in 2004 to help address the shortage of health care professionals and encourage young Iowans to establish or continue their careers with Iowa hospitals. The first scholarships were awarded in 2005 and now more than 685 students have benefited from the program.

In exchange for this financial support, students agree to work one year in an Iowa hospital for each year they receive an award. In this way, the scholarship program helps stabilize and enhance Iowa’s hospital workforce.

IHERF is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Iowa Hospital Association. IHERF is a charitable nonprofit and exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.