Charting Her Own Course

Professor Debbi Groves Retires after 36 years with the CoxHealth system, 26 of those years at Cox College.

Story by Eric Baker

Professor Debbi Grove's roots run deep in Appalachia, but the love of the Ozarks area and her position at Cox is what has kept her and eventually brought her to the Ozarks.

Her nursing story begins in Virginia where she received her nursing degree from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (now Mountain Gateway Community College) in Clifton Forge. She would later move to Kentucky where she worked as an ICU nurse for the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Lexington and continued her education working towards her BSN at Eastern Kentucky University. While there, she met her husband, Jim, fell in love, and got married. They later felt led to come to Southwest Missouri for Jim's ministry position. Since Debbi was already federally employed, she was able to transfer to the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.

Cox South opened its doors in the mid-80s and soon Debbi was applying for a job in Labor and Delivery. Eventually an opportunity opened up for her in educational services. It was during her tenure there that she was approached by faculty at Lester L. Cox School of Nursing and Health Sciences (later renamed to shorten it to Cox College). Her interest piqued, she inquired more about the position, and in 1996 she joined the faculty. At this time Debbi had completed her BSN through Southwest Baptist University's extension program and would continue her educational journey to complete her MSN at University of Missouri-Kansas City.

An opening in the skills lab led her to start her path into nursing simulation before the College even had a simulation center. Eventually she would come to supervise the virtual hospital and skills lab as well as being an assistant professor.

Working with the students to help them prepare was always a delight, and the comradery I had with the faculty–it was the best.

While at Cox College Debbi became involved with other faculty helping organize mission trips to different countries. These trips lead to the development of a nursing elective course rooted in the holistic care of those from diverse backgrounds. Then assistant professor Ellen Duvall was instumental in helping Debbi orchestrate the classroom and clinical component of the course during the course inception. A short time later, Assistant Professor Leisa Lower joined Debbi teaching the Cross Cultural Health Care class that included a trip to Haiti.

Nursing students from the class as well as Springfield community volunteers (doctors, nurses, executives, etc.) would fly in conjunction with Lifeline Christian Missions to provide health care to local residents. It was no small feat as Debbi and Leisa would have to carefully pack all the supplies in large duffel bags they would need to take with them. Getting supplies past customs could be tricky, but in the 15 trips, though some bags were opened and searched, not one was denied or confiscated.

“I loved seeing the way the students grew in confidence and used their critical thinking skills. It’s one thing to practice in a simulated setting, but totally another when there’s a human at the other end. The students learned how to apply what they had learned at Cox College and be flexible in the situation.”

COVID and the instability in Haiti has ended any further trips to the island country.

Earlier this year, Debbi decided it was time to make a life change and retire. After 26 years as a faculty member and 36 years with CoxHealth as a whole, Debbi decided she wanted to have more time to spend with family, travel, garden, and enjoy camping, fishing, and hiking in the great outdoors, "and being available for whatever the Lord wants me to do".

“I’ll miss the routine and responsibility. Working with the students to help them prepare was always a delight, and the comradery I had with the faculty–it was the best. I have made many great lifetime friends, here at Cox College and look forward to hearing nothing but continual wornderful news of things to come".

While she goes into the future knowing she’s made a difference, there is one thing that has been a driving force for her through her career. Back at the Community College when where she was first starting out, a faculty member called her into the office one day.

“I was not a great student. Concepts were hard and I was a hands-on learner. The faculty director member told me, ‘Debbi, you’re not going to pass. In fact, you’ll never pass nursing school. If you do, you will never pass your state boards. And should you pass your state boards, you’ll never become a good nurse because you were never a good student.’”

That nursing faculty director was wrong. Debbi did go on to pass her nursing program, pass her state boards, and became a nurse. Each new hurdle boosted her confidence so that she went on to get her Master’s degree at UMKC, become an assistant professor and supervisor of the virtual hospital and skills lab at Cox College.

“Never let others define you. You chart your own course.”

Life lessons

In Memoriam

Honoring alumni who are no longer with us

Gail Gene Plemmons, 69, passed from this life on December 30, 2019. She graduated from Burge School of Nursing in Springfield, Missouri in 1971. After graduating, she went to accomplish many things including working in psychiatric nursing, a woman's clinic, community and social work, the arts, and as a business owner with her husband, Brian.

Melisa (Aleshire)

Harp, 58, passed from this life on June 30, 2015. She graduated from Burge School of Nursing in Springfield, Missouri in 1978. She was a registered nurse with Cox Medical Center.

Jo Natalee (Leffler) Lea passed from this earthly life on December 3, 2019 at the age of 97. She graduated from Burge School of Nursing in Springfield, Missouri in 1944. Although she was never called to service Jo volunteered as a Cadet Nurse during World War II.

Loraine Gooley, Burge class of ‘56, passed away August 6, 2021. She was 85 years old. After graduation she went to work for the VA hospital in Kansas City where she met her husband. She received

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In Memoriam

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Photo courtesty ob Jo Ann Self, and Springfield News & Leader her BSN from St. Francis University in 1981. Over her 40-year career she worked as a registered nurse in hospitals and home health care.

An interesting fact about Loraine is that she was one of the models for the “Helping Hands” mural that has been a hallmark of the College for over 60 years. She was the student representative chosen by the artist, George Kieffer, for the mural.

Her daughter, Jo Ann Self, writes that the mural was a source of “mother pride” for her ever since she was a kid. “When I was 10 or 11, we were on a family trip and drove through Springfield. We stopped to look at the mural and I was immediately able to pick out my mom.”

We want to honor all our alumni who are no longer with us. Please send all In Memoriam submissions (including photos) to alumni@coxcollege.edu.

CoxHealth Achieves Magnet Status

CoxHealth recently earned Magnet status, the highest national and international honor a health care organization can receive for professional nursing practice that supports quality patient outcomes specfically influenced by registered nurses! The Springfield, Missouri hospitals are the first and only Magnet-designated facilities in the region.

Cox College is honored and proud to be part of CoxHealth. It brings us joy that so many of our graduates are providing internationally-recognized care, and so many of our graduates will join them. We want to congratulate all the health care professionals who work tirelessly to make CoxHealth a trusted health care facilty. Barbara Pittman passed away on June 23, 2022. She attended Burge School of Nursing (1955) and Drury University where she received her RN and BSN degrees. Barbara's final job as a nurse was with the Visiting Nurse Association, from where she retired after 22 years of service.