Parkland Health Center is pleased to announce that Martha Senter, RN, BSN, has accepted the position of nurse manager of Senior Support, Parkland Health Center’s geriatric psychiatric (geri-psych) department. She replaces Teri Ragsdale who is retiring, but will remain part-time in the role of intake coordinator. Senter began in her new position September 1.
The Parkland Health Center Senior Support Department provides in-patient treatment for those age 55 and older who suffer from an emotional illness. The department opened in 2002 and expanded in the fall of 2015.
Senter has extensive experience in the field of geriatric psychiatry. Senter was a staff nurse in Parkland’s geri-psych department when it opened in 2002. Prior to returning to Parkland Health Center in 2015, she served as neurosciences nurse manager at SoutheastHEALTH and program director for the geri-psych units at both Missouri Baptist-Sullivan and Mineral Area Regional Medical Center.
Senter’s educational background includes an associate degree in nursing from Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Central Methodist University in Park Hills, Missouri. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in nursing through the Webster University Cohort.
Senter was part of the team that opened Parkland’s geri-psych unit in 2002. After working at several other hospitals, Senter says she was happy to return to Parkland as a geri-psych nurse in 2015. She was on staff when the expanded geri-psych unit reopened. “It was a joyful moment to know that what we had done [in 2002], we had done well, and it was time to grow and expand,” Senter stated. She went on to say that she looks forward to future growth of the department as well as building a relationship with the community in her role of nurse manager.
Marianne Fournie, chief nursing officer at Parkland Health Center, stated, “I’m very pleased that Martha Senter has transitioned to nurse manager of our geri-psych unit. Martha is a seasoned psychiatric manager with experience both inside and outside of BJC HealthCare, and I look forward to working with her in her new role.”