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11/14/2019

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Nurse Practitioners: It Runs in the Family

By Heather Haslun, DNP, FNP-C, TeamHealth

My name is Heather Haslun, I am 37 years old and this is my story. From the time I was little, I loved caring for others. From caring for elders to babies, and coming from a family of nurses, I knew nursing, and becoming a nurse practitioner, was my calling.

Upon graduating from high school, I went to college to pursue my love of horses and earned my degree in Equine Science and Management. Once excelling at my studies, I gained the confidence I needed to pursue my nursing career.

As a bachelor-prepared nurse, I had many experiences that gave me a thirst to learn and do more. I had seen both of my parents go back to school later in life; my mother, a registered nurse (RN) returning for her family nurse practitioner (FNP) and then my father going from a dairy farmer to a registered nurse to a family nurse practitioner. I knew I wanted to keep going to school until I reached my full potential. It wasn’t until I tagged along to a child abuse conference in California with my mother, that I realized I too wanted to be an FNP. I wanted to widen my practice skills and be more able to help those in need.

After a year of family practice as an FNP, my father recruited me to come and work for TeamHealth. My father, James Forrest, and my mother, Cynthia Forrest, both have worked for TeamHealth Emergency Medicine/Urgent Care at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam, New York, as FNPs for 15 years. My father as the Lead Advanced Practice Clinician convinced me to try Urgent Care and from that day, I haven’t looked back. I now have worked for TeamHealth at St. Mary’s for 10 years and truly feel I found my place, my role and my passion to provide healthcare to both rural and urban communities.

Two years ago I decided to return to school for my doctorate in nursing practice. I was lucky enough to embark on this journey with my mother. It was a truly rare and amazing experience. On September 28, 2019, we both graduated from Frontier Nursing University with our doctorates. It was my honor to also receive the 2019 DNP Leadership Award. It was with the support from TeamHealth that made this possible. I was able to work full time with a flexible schedule that allowed me to go to school full time, be a wife and a mother.

For a leadership course, I had to interview a successful leader. I researched TeamHealth’s executives and had the pleasure of connecting with Dr. Patricia Ball. From the moment I interviewed her, she was so encouraging and supportive of helping me reach my goals. This year she invited me to attend the Women in Leadership conference in Dallas where I had the privilege of meeting several successful women who balance the importance of family and being a healthcare provider. I value TeamHealth as an employer and look forward to continuing to grow as a leader and as a healthcare provider within the company.

Our family is dedicated to the nurse practitioner profession, our patients and TeamHealth. I couldn’t be happier to be able to deliver high-quality healthcare and continue to be humbled by the experience daily.

Are you a nurse practitioner interested in providing the highest quality patient care? Explore our open opportunities!