Myrtue Medical Center Welcomes Nicole Ohlinger as Chief Nursing Officer and Honors Karen Buman's Leadership

Myrtue Medical Center is pleased to announce that Nicole Ohlinger, MBA MSN RN, has accepted the position of Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). She succeeds Karen Buman, who will retire in March. Karen has over 32 years of service to Myrtue Medical Center, and she has been instrumental in advancing nursing services and ensuring high-quality patient care. Her dedication and leadership will leave a lasting impact on our health system.

Nicole, who oversees the Surgery Department and Surgery & Specialty Clinics, will be taking over as the Chief Nursing Officer. Her experience also includes serving as a Registered Nurse (RN) and House Supervisor in Myrtue’s Inpatient, ER, and OB departments. Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Nebraska Methodist College and then completed her Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Business Administration (MSN-MBA) from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2023. She is also a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) and a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN).

“I am honored and grateful to step into this role and further strengthen the strong foundation established by Karen,” said Nicole Ohlinger. “Continued advancements in our nursing services and high-quality care for our patients will remain a top priority. I have had only the best mentors at Myrtue who have encouraged continuous growth during my nursing career. Because of them, and a bit of self-determination, I have the opportunity to accept this challenge. Having grown up in this community, I understand how lucky we are to have our hospital and clinics and look forward to collaborating with everyone to assure sustained success.”

Nicole and her husband Rick live outside of Portsmouth with their four children.