Joseph Oyibotsa, RN, MSN
Joseph Oyibotsa, RN, MSN
Assistant Director
NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services
13 years of service
“I leave my patients with a positive experience, which is usually denoted by the smiles on their faces.”
Joseph Oyibotsa took a non-traditional route to the nursing profession, switching from a career in accounting and computer science to becoming a nurse at the urging of his wife.
“My nursing journey began in 2006 when I took a certified nurse’s aide class; my passion to help and care for people was awakened and my interest in my newfound career grew day by day,” he recollects. “My dear wife, Faith Oyibotsa, is a nurse, and she inspired and encouraged me to consider a career in nursing. Initially it was a very difficult decision; but today I can gladly say that I made one of the best decisions in my life.”
Oyibotsa covers all Correctional Health facilities as a nurse educator. He is an Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support/Basic Life Support instructor and a facilitator in the nurse residency program. As a graduate of the health system’s Simulation Fellowship Program, he also facilitates simulation training.
Oyibotsa points to the Simulation Fellowship as being one of the best experiences in his nursing career. The program conducts scenarios to help nurses improve patient safety. “It was a very robust and rewarding program designed for multidisciplinary fellows; all fellows meet, learn, practice new skills, and share work experiences with one another,” he points out. “It gave me the opportunity to learn from different mentors and professionals who are authorities in their various fields and disciplines. Another great experience was when I wore the cut-down suit in the simulation center operating room and was operated on by surgeons learning and practicing on how to perform operations on a patient; it looks so real with all the lights, cuts, clamps, stitches and blood.”
Dealing with wounds and blood was perhaps one of his biggest challenges. “Before I became a nurse, I had a phobia about blood and wounds,” he relates. “With gradual exposure, I was able to overcome my phobias.”
Oyibotsa feels some of his most important qualities as a nurse are patience, empathy and perseverance. “I would characterize my approach to patient care as ‘patient-centered,’ because I establish a nurse-patient relationship with them, acknowledge their concerns, and ensure that their health care needs are met as ordered in a timely manner.
“I treat people the same way that I want to be treated. I show respect to people in my day-to-day activities by acknowledging and addressing them formally, respecting their personal space, listening to their concerns, and walking in their shoes,” he said.