Chinonso Alinnor
Chinonso Alinnor is a future shaper.
Demonstrating care and concern for others as a nurse at the Los Angeles Community Hospital in East Los Angeles, California, is Chinonso Alinnor, a 2019 graduate of the Oklahoma Baptist University School of Nursing. Alinnor said the guiding attitude that directs his daily work and actions is “ ‘How would I want to be treated and cared for by others?’ The way I personally care for my patients is where I find that answer,” he said.
Alinnor is a native of Nigeria who came to the United States to pursue an advanced degree in health care administration. Yet, as he proceeded in that direction, Alinnor realized that a key factor to his future in health care was to understand the very foundation of how health care works in America. He made a decision to reroute and pursue a degree in nursing to understand first and foremost, patient care.
Through the recommendation of a family member who was an OBU alumni, Alinnor enrolled in OBU’s School of Nursing. Part of his unique experience is being admitted to OBU as a transfer student and as an international student.
“When I first arrived on campus, I was pleased to have the support of the OBU international office and the chance to connect with other international students. We met weekly on Fridays and had activities available to build community and integrate into campus life,” he explained.
Aspects of the School of Nursing that significantly impacted Alinnor included the merging of his classroom training with clinical opportunities.
“When we were introduced to adult psychiatric care, I was really intrigued. I felt a strong sense of caring for those patients when I saw that they may not even realize the full extent of their needs,” he said. “I also remember a specific time one of the professors taught an object lesson regarding patients put on a ventilator. It helped me to understand the uncertainty and fear those patients might feel and to always offer an extra measure of attention and care in those situations.”
A particular highlight of Alinnor being an OBU student was his opportunity to join the Bison Glee Club. He says it was the perfect way to relax from the intense studies and stress in nursing and to discover and develop a different part of himself. It also allowed him to create more friendships and connections on campus, a key aspect of life on Bison Hill.
As a result of his participation in various job fairs, Alinnor was hired by Norman Regional Hospital where he worked in the ICU unit upon graduation. He then moved to California. Through a nursing agency affiliated with the Memorial Hospital in Gardena, where Alinnor first worked, he was able to acquire his green card. Through that agency, in cooperation with Ottowa University in Arizona, he also earned an executive MBA (eMBA) in healthcare administration.
He reflected on how each chapter has built upon the next.
“My studies through the OBU School of Nursing prepared me for the real-life battle of nursing. It offered a wonderful foundation with rich opportunities and scenarios that gave me the confidence and knowledge to really settle in and get to work. I set personal goals to stay focused, work hard and do well academically. All of those elements have helped me be successful in each step of my health care journey,” Alinnor said.
What he enjoys most about his work as a nurse, is the opportunity to help others and show the love of God.
“This is my way to live out the word of God by caring for people. I can be the hands and feet of Jesus in practical ways. The School of Nursing at OBU reinforced that in every aspect of my training and helped to foster great personal satisfaction in my work,” Alinnor explained.
In that sense, Alinnor is truly showing the world what it means to be an OBU future shaper in the field of health care.