After finding an ad for a full grant for nursing school that would pay her room and board as well as for tuition for hte the State of Illinois in 1964- Theola Rush jumped at the opportunity to make a way for herself. She was the only blak nursing student i her entire program. With respect to hacing one black professor. Her first time ever stepping foot in a hospital was for nursing school. And she fell in love. She worked hard well always keeping a positive work environment around her and her staff. After graduating nursing school she moved back home to Cairo, Illinois where she took her first nursing job at Saint Mary’s Hospital for about 6 months. Until one day she read in her nursing journal about LA County Hospital being the largest in the country at the time. Offering programs to specialize in cardiology, neurology, neurosurgery, and became the Head Nurse at 28 years old at LA County -USC Hospital in the Women and Children’s Department until the hospital opened up a brand new ER and gave her the title of Head Nurse in that Department. Her coworkers all speak highly of her.

We need at least 4 volunteers to honor Theola Rush, RN.