Profiles in Telehealth: An Entrepreneurial NP Pushes Limits with Telemedicine
We interviewed Nurse Practitioner Nicole S. to learn about her journey to telemedicine and how she's using it to push limits in her life, from developing her own model of care for post-op patients to maximizing family time.
What’s your background? What did you do before practicing telemedicine?
I am an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner. My mom is a nurse practitioner, too. I always knew I wanted to be a nurse growing up watching her, and I've been a nurse for 13 years now! My mom and I actually received our masters degrees in nursing together. You can read all about it here!
What’s your life like outside of work?
I got married this month! Getting married during a pandemic really made me stress at first, but I had to let it go! I learned to drop all of the details and just focus on the one important thing: the love I have for my husband. We currently live in Palisades Park, New Jersey, which is two towns away from NYC, with our labradoodle named Ollie. I enjoy hiking with our pup, and I really love to cook! My husband’s family is from a town called Coreglia Antelminelli, north of Toscana, in Italy. We got engaged there last year, and I would LOVE to go back as soon as travel is allowed.
What brought you to telemedicine?
I have a very strong work ethic. I watched my mom have her one full-time nursing job and then she would always have a second or even third opportunity lined up. She put her own husband through college and supported three children. I watched her be the breadwinner for a very long time, and she always encouraged me to be able to provide for myself. I work extremely hard and telemedicine allows me to push those limits and do it from anywhere! I love the flexibility it allows me.
What’s your recent Wheel Moment of Freedom?
One time, I worked all weekend at this hospital and couldn't get to see my sister, who lives a few states away, at all during her visit to my town. This time around, I worked all weekend by seeing patients via telemedicine and was able to enjoy dinner with my entire family without compromising my career or my family! As a healthcare provider, you're always missing a holiday or weekend events with family. You feel guilty being away, but what choice do you have? With telemedicine, you have a choice— and I'm extremely grateful for that!
What do you think the future of healthcare holds?
The opportunity for providers to bring a telemedicine model to any inpatient avenue is there.
I am in the process of building out a model that will allow us to really focus on post-op patients and close monitoring of opiates in this time of crisis.
I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit and telemedicine it to flourish! There are so many avenues to be explored, and I think that's one positive thing that COVID-19 showed us. Lots can be accomplished from your own home!
Thanks, Nicole, for being an essential member of the #WheelCareTeam!
Interested in joining us? Sign up to learn more about working in telehealth with Wheel. We need clinicians more than ever during the COVID-19 national crisis.
Learn more about provider experiences in our previous spotlight interviews with a physician re-discovering flexibility with virtual care, a nurse practitioner who became more active with her kids due to telemedicine, and a nurse practitioner who thinks telehealth can improve women's health access.
