By SALINA POST
ABILENE - Memorial Hospital in Abilene has announced the hiring of Melissa Taplin as OR director for the Memorial Hospital Outpatient and Surgical Services Department.
Taplin began her duties as director on Aug. 8. She had been filling in as the interim manager since July 1. Taplin was a familiar face even before July, as she has worked for Memorial Hospital since the start of her nursing career in 2000 when she started as a ward clerk in the Inpatient/OB Unit.
While Taplin was working as the ward clerk, she also was working toward her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from Wichita State University, and doing her clinicals at Memorial Hospital.
Taplin obtained her BSN in 2001, and after a few short years made a move to the Outpatient and Surgical Services Department in 2004, but still continued to work in the Inpatient/OB unit for a shift every week. In 2010, Taplin put on another hat for Memorial Health System by adding some Employee Health Nurse duties to her job description. This included making sure employees were up-to-date with their vaccinations and also checking new-hire screenings. Taplin has taken care of employees up to the beginning of this year.
Taplin is a Kansas native, originally from Oberlin, but came to call Abilene her home after meeting her husband, Brant Taplin, who grew up in Abilene. They have two sons.