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The Kearney Division of the College of Nursing has a chapter (Med Hatters) of the Red Hat Society. Here, Pat Saylor sports her favorite red hat. |
Saylor, who began teaching at Kearney State College in 1977, was one of the first faculty members hired for what was then the first bachelor’s degree in nursing program in central and western Nebraska. Saylor, an assistant professor, taught psychiatric/mental health nursing for 28 years.
A prayer vigil will be Tuesday, June 28 at 7 p.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 1210 East 11th Street, in Kearney. A memorial service will be Wednesday, June 29 at 10:30 a.m. at Prince of Peace Catholic Church.
Saylor stood out as a teacher who enjoyed students, said Judith Billings, Ph.D., UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division assistant dean. “She got great pleasure from seeing students learn and progress and grow and then seeing them out in the workplace,” Dr. Billings said. “She was very dedicated to nursing. She loved nursing and I think was very proud to be a nurse.
“I’ve heard her say she would have never chosen any other career. She was a wonderful friend to many people — very loyal, one of those people who are always there when you need her. She was particularly concerned with patients’ mental health.”
“The college is deeply saddened to lose Pat,” said Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing. “She was beloved and had an infectious sense of humor. She dedicated her life to nursing education.”
Kerman Nickel, a nursing student who took classes from Saylor, said Saylor was quick to smile and always had the students’ best interests in mind. “She always had the time for students’ questions no matter how ill conceived or trite they were,” Nickel said. “The biggest thing was that she never ever made you feel like you were wrong or stupid. She was reassuring in all the times I felt that maybe I could, or should, have said something different to a patient.
“Pat was a mentor to hundreds of nursing students, including myself, who use the information she taught to comfort, console, and educate our patients, and/or their families, every day. Not only was Pat a great teacher, but she was a great person, too. She epitomized the role of nurses in the classroom and I know she touched the lives of many.”
Not only was Saylor beloved as a faculty member, she made many personal connections, her colleagues said.
“Pat was one of the founders of the NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) of Central Nebraska, an educational and support organization for persons with mental illnesses, their family members, and providers,” said Linda E. Jensen, Ph.D., assistant professor, UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division. “When my son was diagnosed with schizophrenia, she spent many hours with me, listening, caring and encouraging. She was always a listening ear for students for faculty, students and staff.”
Pam Bjerke, staff assistant to the dean and faculty, UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division, said Saylor was a compassionate and loving person. “She truly loved people….her colleagues, students, friends and family. She will be missed by us all,” Bjerke said.
Saylor earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from South Dakota State University in 1970 and a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Washington. From 1972 to 1975, she was a nursing instructor. She became an assistant professor at South Dakota State University, Minneapolis Unit, in 1975.
Since 1977, she had served as an assistant professor of nursing. In 1991, Kearney State College became part of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the nursing program became part of the UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division.
She had served as an on-call nursing supervisor and staff nurse at Richard H. Young Hospital in Kearney since 1985. She also served as a nursing consultant at the Hastings Regional Center in Hastings.
In 2002, Saylor was the recipient of a Good Samaritan Health System/Richard H. Young Hospital’s Community Service Award. She was a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Nurses Association, Nebraska Nurses Association (NNA), District IV, where she served in a variety of roles, including board of directors, president and Commission on Education and Practice.
She was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill-Nebraska, and a charter member of the Central Nebraska Alliance for the Mentally Ill, for which she also served in various roles, including president.
Her community service included most recently, a volunteer stint with the American Red Cross Ft. Kearny Chapter and house supervisor’s committee, Richard H. Young Hospital, Kearney. She also served as an HIV/AIDS instructor, was a member of Buffalo County Partners from 1993 to 2002, served on the advisory board of South Central Behavioral Services and was a volunteer with the State Health Department’s immunization clinics.