Allison Kirkner, ACNP, is an authorized acute care nurse practitioner who cares for sufferers who want advanced surgical procedure for coronary heart, vein, and artery situations.

Kirkner is a graduate of the UVA College of Nursing. She additionally recieved a grasp of science in nursing (MSN) diploma and acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) certification, after which returned to UVA Well being in 2015 to work as a nurse practitioner within the thoracic cardiovascular intensive care unit (TCVICU). She accomplished her physician of nursing observe at UVA in 2022.

Get to Know a Charlottesville-Based mostly Coronary heart Surgical procedure Superior Care Nursing Practitioner

We requested Kirkner our 7 fast questions.

1. What has most impressed and formed your strategy to affected person care?

I’d say that it is attending to know sufferers at their most weak. And seeing how so many individuals are nonetheless so impressed and so decided to get higher, to enhance, to depart the hospital, to go dwelling with their family members, and to get again to the life that they had been dwelling.

It is exhausting to have a foul day when people who find themselves so critically sick are working so exhausting. It is exhausting to not need to work that onerous myself.

2. What’s your favourite a part of your job?

The folks that I work with. We’ve a extremely good time. I believe that is one thing that when outsiders, consults, or people rotating by way of see it, it is one thing that they all the time touch upon.

We handle to maintain it as lighthearted as doable, even when issues should not essentially fairly so lighthearted, and it is a group of excellent folks that have a extremely good time whereas we’re doing our greatest to deal with sufferers.

3. What’s your largest concern if you’re a affected person?

My largest concern would most likely be not understanding what was occurring – whether or not it is no person is aware of what is going on on, or I am simply not being communicated with. The staff is aware of what is going on on or the supplier caring for me is aware of what is going on on, however hasn’t knowledgeable me but or hasn’t instructed me in a manner that I perceive.

4. What do you do for stress aid?

I’ve a 9-month-old now. So, spending time with him, spending time with my husband and my canine, and simply with the ability to unplug a little bit bit and see my son develop up and expertise all these model new issues actually is kind of a stress reliever. I additionally do take pleasure in figuring out.

5. Canine or Cats?

I am a canine particular person. I am very a lot a canine particular person. I am additionally fairly allergic to cats, so I spent the big majority of my life probably not interacting with them.

I have been on allergy pictures in order that now I can at the least be in the identical room with them. They usually’re rising on me, however I am undoubtedly a canine particular person.

6. What’s the final film you noticed? Thumbs up or down?

We rewatched Elf, I believe, at Christmas. I do not suppose I’ve watched a film since then. No time for motion pictures today!

It is a thumbs-up. We have watched it yearly whereas adorning the Christmas tree.

7. What’s the most effective recommendation you’ve ever heard?

I’d say the most effective recommendation that I’ve ever heard, or at the least that personally does me effectively, is to try to take a minute earlier than I communicate. Whether or not I am very completely satisfied or I am very upset, to simply be extra… to take a minute to be considerate earlier than you ship an e-mail or earlier than you say one thing that’s on the market that you could’t take again.