Elaine Ollerton George is a registered nurse, clinical educator, and lifelong resident of West Valley City, Utah. Her success in life and work comes from a strong foundation built early. Raised in a working-class family, Elaine learned the value of hard work, consistency, and showing up for others.
She started volunteering at her local hospital in high school and never looked back. She earned her nursing degree from Salt Lake Community College in 2004 while working nights and helping raise her younger siblings. Later, she completed her bachelor’s degree from Western Governors University, graduating with honors. She’s now working toward her master’s in nursing education.
Elaine’s nursing career spans over 20 years. She worked in med-surg, telemetry, and ICU before moving into leadership roles. At University of Utah Hospital, she trained new nurses and helped lead her team during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, she’s a clinical educator at Mountain Health Alliance, where she teaches, mentors, and leads programs focused on improving community health.
She’s also deeply involved in volunteer work. Elaine helps run mobile clinics, speaks at schools, and partners with nonprofits to reach underserved neighborhoods. She’s earned multiple awards for her service, including “Nurse of Distinction” in 2022.
Elaine’s story is proof that success doesn’t always mean leaving home. It can mean digging deeper into the place you started and finding ways to lead right where you are. “Everything I need is here—family, work, purpose,” she says. “Why would I leave?”
Q&A with Elaine Ollerton George: Defining Success from the Ground Up
How do you define success, both personally and professionally?
To me, success isn’t about titles or awards. It’s about being steady and useful over time. It’s about showing up consistently for people—your patients, your family, your team. I’ve worked with a lot of smart nurses, but the ones I’ve respected most were the ones who stayed calm when things got hard and helped others do the same. Personally, I measure success by whether I can look back and say, “I did right by the people around me.”
Has your idea of success changed over time?
Absolutely. Early in my career, I thought success meant being the best nurse in the room—knowing everything, doing everything fast. But over time, especially after becoming a charge nurse and later a clinical educator, I realized that success isn’t about being the smartest. It’s about being the one people can count on. These days, I think more about legacy—what habits or mindsets I’m passing on to the next group of nurses.
Can you talk about a moment in your career that challenged your view of success?
During the early months of COVID-19, I was in a leadership role at University of Utah Hospital. The protocols were changing daily, nurses were exhausted, and fear was everywhere. There was a night shift nurse who broke down in the break room. I sat with her for 30 minutes, not offering advice—just listening. A few weeks later, she told me that conversation stopped her from quitting.
At the time, I felt helpless. But it taught me that success in leadership isn’t about fixing everything. Sometimes it’s just about being present and reminding someone they’re not alone.
You’ve spent your whole life and career in West Valley City. Most people associate success with moving up and out. Why stay?
That’s a question I’ve heard a lot. But I never saw leaving as the goal. I grew up here. My dad worked power lines during snowstorms; my mom made lunch for hundreds of kids every day. We didn’t have much, but we had purpose.
Staying in West Valley felt natural. I already understood the people and the gaps in care. I didn’t need to go somewhere new to make an impact. My success has come from going deeper, not wider. I know the schools, the clinics, the community partners. That’s what gives my work depth.
What role has education played in your path to success?
Education has been huge, but not in the traditional sense. I went to Salt Lake Community College for my ASN, and that was already a stretch—I was working nights and helping raise my younger siblings at the time. Later, I earned my BSN through Western Governors University’s online program, which let me keep working full time.
I’m now working on my master’s in nursing education. But honestly, the education that’s mattered most has come from patients. From seeing someone in crisis and learning how to stay calm. From training students and figuring out how to meet them where they are. Nursing is a field where formal education opens doors, but daily experience teaches you how to walk through them.
What daily habits or routines have helped you stay grounded and successful over time?
I keep things simple. I wake up early, I bake bread once a week, I walk the Jordan River Trail with my dog. At work, I write things down. I carry a small notebook for follow-ups and reminders. I’ve learned that a five-minute conversation or a follow-through on a promise builds trust faster than any meeting ever will.
I also have what I call “Tea and Triage” nights with a small group of nurse friends. We meet every few weeks just to talk. It’s informal, but we debrief, trade ideas, and vent when needed. That has probably saved my career more than once.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out, especially in healthcare or community work?
Don’t chase perfection. Chase steadiness. Learn your craft, yes—but also learn how to listen. Get curious about people. Ask questions. And don’t underestimate the value of small things—like walking someone to the elevator or bringing a family member a cup of water.
And finally, find a place—geographically or emotionally—that feels worth investing in. Not every nurse needs to stay where they grew up, like I did. But you do need to find your place. That’s where real success starts.
What’s your long-term definition of success?
If the nurses I trained are better than me—more patient, more confident, more prepared—then I’ve done something right. That’s success. I don’t need a plaque on the wall. I just want to know I helped someone else do good work.