New Emergency Department director named

From the time she did her first clinicals in nursing school, Tiffany Uranker knew the Emergency Room was her home.

Having worked at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County for 15 years, she now is director of the Emergency Department.

"MHSC is looking forward to having Tiffany in the director role where she will be able to share her expertise and further develop programs to enhance the care provided to the patients and families within our community," said Chief Nursing Officer Ann Clevenger. "MHSC would like to welcome Tiffany to leadership and are thankful for her commitment to our MHSC family and community."

Uranker said when she was in elementary school, she dreamed of being a nurse.

"I wanted to be a 'baby' nurse to work with babies," she said. "But the ER is my home. From the time I did my first clinicals in nursing school in the ER, I knew it was my place. I like the constant, controlled chaos and the unknown.

"I like that we are able to see people through some of the toughest times of their lives," Uranker said. "And, my most favorite thing is when we see our patients outside of the hospital, those people who came in with no signs of life and we were able to get them back, stabilized and out into the world."

Uranker said another bonus is the people she works with.

"I love my co-workers; not just in the ER, but friends throughout the hospital that I have made in the last 15 years of being here," she said.

Uranker worked as MHSC's trauma coordinator for five years and as the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Coordinator for two years.  Mindy Aguirre is now MHSC's Trauma Coordinator and Uranker is working to strengthen MHSC's SANE program.

Uranker has been working in the MHSC Emergency Department since November 2009. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Grand Canyon University in 2017. She received an Associate Degree in Nursing from Western Wyoming Community College in 2009.

She now supervises a crew of about 30 Emergency Room Technicians, Certified Nursing Assistants, Nursing Unit Secretaries and other staff, as well as work alongside University of Utah Emergency Room physicians. She is now part of the MHSC leadership team, which includes more than 35 professionals.

For more on this and all Sweetwater Memorial has to offer, go to sweetwatermemorial.com.