I have always had interest in the medical field. In high school, I worked as a receptionist in a physician's office and always wanted to be more involved in patient care. I slowly worked my way up from a receptionist to a nursing assistant, then registered nurse and now nurse practitioner. I was never completely satisfied with each position and always wanted to have greater autonomy and sought to be more involved in patient care. The core philosophy of the nurse practitioner field is individualized care. I focus on patients' conditions, as well as the effects of illness on the lives of the patients and their families. Although it is difficult to focus on prevention, as many of my patients already suffer from complications, I try to limit risk factors that cause worsening illness and further complications regarding their health. I spend a great amount of time with my patients educating them on ways to improve their health and well being. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our daughter. I also enjoy running and reading love stories and murder mysteries.