Deer Park
Neighborhood Association is proud of Dorothy Patach for her recent recognition
for her advancements in nursing. Thank you Nebraska Medical Center for
honoring a terrific neighbor. Article from the Nebraska Medical Center.
DOROTHY M.
PATACH, BSN, MSNED, BSHE
Dorothy
Patach is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. She has spent her life and career
practicing and teaching nursing, and advancing the nursing
profession. Dorothy received her nursing diploma at the University
of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1944, and went on to earn a Bachelor
of Science in Nutrition and a Master of Science in Nursing Education
from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. During her diverse career,
Dorothy worked at Jenny Edmundson Hospital School of Nursing, Clarkson
Hospital, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Working in the operating
room, Dorothy accumulated many unique experiences.
In the
mid-1950s, Dorothy developed surgical drapes for new procedures that were
later made into pre-packaged sterile plastic drapes by the Minnesota Mining
Company. She assisted with the testing
of Formula 99, a liquid soap, which in bar form later became “Dial Soap.” She
was part of a team that modernized the old Clarkson Hospital operating
room which went on to receive the “Hospital of the Year Award.” When asked what
motivates her, Dorothy says, “I was raised to serve mankind and keep my
community healthy and safe. In nursing, you work to meet the medical,
physical, and emotional needs of your patients, which is truly rewarding.”
Dorothy’s
service to the nursing profession is vast and comprehensive. Among the many
professional organizations she has been involved with, Dorothy has served
in leadership roles in the Nebraska State Nurses’ Association, the District 2
Nurses’ Association, the National League of Nursing, the Nebraska League
of Nursing, and in every office on the UNMC College of Nursing
Alumni Association Board of Directors. She continues to volunteer at UNMC,
including in the Alumni Relations Office.
Dorothy has
been involved with community and neighborhood betterment since 1945. She is
involved with countless South Omaha community groups, including the South
Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, the South Omaha Business Association, and
the South Omaha Community Care Council, among many others.
In 2001, the
Omaha City Council passed a resolution that designated a parcel of public
property to be named the “Dorothy Patach Natural Environmental Area.” This
was in honor of her commitment and activism on behalf of neighborhoods,
civic organizations, the environment and public health. In her free time,
Dorothy enjoys gardening and yard work, sewing and hand crafts,
non-fiction reading, home repair, and working to improve her community!
www.unmc.edu/alumni
