Nicole Powell

Nicole Powell has helped countless patients during her career as a nurse. Through women’s health, she has seen disparities and challenges. That experience led her to a career transition to being a Nurse Practitioner, where she says she’s able to care for the whole patient.

“I’m able to treat patients differently,” said Nicole Powell. “I can have the difficult conversations and I have the ability to do something about it. As a nurse practitioner, I can be an advocate for the patient.”

Nicole wanted to make sure she was prepared for her role as a nurse practitioner. She had heard stories of burnout and difficultly in transitioning to the career, so she sought out a residency program that could build her skills and guide her. NoGAPP proved to be a perfect fit.

“There’s a big gap between being proficient and graduating from nurse practitioner school. Every nurse practitioner has a very different education experience. I think it’s a good idea to bridge that gap. The program is a great opportunity.”

Her healthcare journey and passion started at home. Her mother lives in an underserviced community, where Nicole has seen the impact that a lack of healthcare can have on patients. This led her to a focus on helping patients in need. Even before being accepted to NoGAPP, she was working with rural and underserved communities through MedLink.

“I loved the patients at MedLink,” she said. “If you give them your time, their health will improve. Everyone deserves that level of care.”

Providing access to healthcare is an important role for the NoGAPP residents, as the program builds the skill and talent of nurse practitioners in underserved communities. It’s a place Nicole feels like she could call home.

“I feel like once the residency is over, I could work there for a very long time.”