Topic: Practice nursing

Practice nurse Brooke Bajac is a keen learner who loves being able to support people in the region with their everyday healthcare needs, as well as in the fight against COVID-19, in her role at Picton Family Medical Centre and Picton Respiratory Clinic as a practice nurse and nurse team leader.

In addition to her passion for nursing, Brooke is instrumental to the practice in her role in leading, coaching and role modeling for the rest of the nursing team on how to carry out their daily tasks in a thoughtful, systemic manner, in order to achieve those wildly important short- and long-term goals for both the patient and for the practice. She exemplifies her practice’s values of #LoveWhatYouDo #MakeADifference #ActWithIntegrity

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the LGA you currently work in?

I have been a practice nurse for one year and two months but have been working as a registered nurse in Wollondilly for two years.

 

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

I have a passion for helping people. I especially love caring for the elderly population as I believe they are the most vulnerable. I had epilepsy as a child and I was in and out of hospitals for most of my childhood, I always looked up to the nurses looking after me.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

Every day is very different working in a general practice. We see everything from people with chest pains to people with wounds. However, I have multiple roles within my general practice such as treatment room duties, chronic disease management, respiratory clinic duties and nursing team leader duties.

Treatment room: When I work in the treatment room I assist doctors with procedures such as biopsies, excisions, nail removal and wound suturing. I also assess and attended to wound care both minor and complex. I am skilled in IV cannulation and perform numerous IV treatments such as: iron infusions, venesections, IV fluids and IV antibiotics. I am also responsible for ordering medical supplies, ordering and maintaining vaccines. Other tasks I perform in the treatment room also include ECG, adult and childhood immunisations, INR checks, observations (BP, SP02, HR, RR), ear syringing, suture removal and much more.

Chronic disease management: I am skilled at creating care plans for patients who have chronic disease. I work closely with the patient, their GP, allied health and specialists to help patients achieve their health goals. I also perform other assessments during care planning such as health assessments, diabetes cycle of care and heart health checks.

Respiratory clinic: I also work within a respiratory clinic which is part of our clinic. I have many roles within the respiratory clinic such as swabbing patients, respiratory assessment of patients, COVID-19 vaccinations, care of COVID-19 positive patients and I provide education and advice to unwell patients.

Nursing team leader: As the nurse team leader I manage our nursing staff in both the general practice and respiratory clinic. I do the rostering for general practice and respiratory clinics nurses. I ensure our nursing team are upholding our values. I assist my team with reaching our goals and improving our customer service to our patients. I help coach our nursing team where needed to enhance and improve their performance. I assist our practice principal with the development of procedures and company goals.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

I love developing therapeutic relationships with my patients. I love having a direct impact on a person’s health and assisting them to achieve their health goals. The most fulfilling part of my role is to watch my patient’s health improve especially through chronic disease management. It is the best feeling to see a patient three months after their care plan and find that their condition has improved.

 

What is your biggest challenge as a PN and how do you overcome this?

The COVID-19 pandemic but more specifically COVID-19 vaccinations. I have had many patients who have been very uncomfortable having a COVID-19 vaccine. I overcome this by having one-on-one conversations with the patient and answering any question or concerns they have. If I am unable to answer I specific question I direct them to a doctor. I want my patients to feel safe and comfortable during this experience.

 

Tell me about your ideal work day.

Every day I come to work I have a great day. But my ideal day would be successfully helping all my patients with their care needs and providing great health outcomes.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I love to play netball and spend time with my family.

 

Do you have any role models and why?

I have three main role models in my life. 1) My mother. She is an independent woman who has always put everyone else before herself and her work ethic is amazing. 2) My father. I strive to be the best person I can be because of him. He has taught me the importance kindness and respect. 3) Dr Anna Pham. Dr Anna is an amazing and caring doctor who has achieved so much. She is committed to her staff and patients. I strive every day to be like her.

 

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

I re-enforce the importance of seeing your GP on a regular basis. I regularly refer my patients to useful website such as The Heart Foundation. I assess my patients and their needs, for example, in relation to weight gain, diabetes, arthritis etc. Mental health plays a big role in a person’s health outcomes so I always encourage my patients to find someone they can talk to, and I offer my ear if they need it. I also inform my patients about mental health care plans to assist them.

Practice nurse Donna Simmons loves being able to make a difference and support her local community in her role at Schwarz Family Practice, Elderslie. She says “working in a positive and friendly practice is just an added bonus!”

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the Camden LGA?

I have been practice nursing since 2010 and working as a practice nurse in the Camden LGA at the Schwarz Family Practice, Elderslie since 2013. I initially started practice nursing in Campbelltown in a smaller practice along Queen Street.

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically primary care?

It was an easy decision for me after my HSC to pursue nursing at university. Growing up, anything Medical or First Aid-related always interested me.

I commenced my now 30-year Registered Nursing career at Concord Hospital, then once married and settled in the Camden LGA, I joined the busy Community Nursing team at Rosemeadow for 10 years, then spent some time at Carrington as an Aged Care Co-Ordinator, then finally decided to give practice nursing a go, and have never looked back.

I knew with my previous experience in different areas of nursing I could utilise my skills each day. Practice nursing has kept me engaged and satisfied, particularly working in an exceptional team environment like I do daily.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

I believe nurses hold a very important role in primary care and we do our best to complement the doctors in their day-to-day role. I hold a Team Leader role at the practice and am well supported by another four talented nurses. We are each diverse with our skills and are able to bring these skills into use regularly.

The role as a practice nurse is very diverse and we are able to support our GPs with many tasks including (but certainly not limited to) the administering of immunisations, setting up of procedures/excisions and assisting with these, triaging calls and dealing with walk-in emergencies, care planning, health assessments, all levels of wound care, post op care, diabetes cycles of care and education, COVID-19 clinic and flu clinics, catch-up schedules, ordering of medical supplies/vaccines, referrals to allied health (Community Nursing, My Aged Care, High Risk Foot Clinic etc.) just to name a few.

I believe the best way to contribute to improving clinical outcomes in our practice is by getting to know your patients’ needs well, listening to their concerns and most importantly, being very proactive with education and sharing this information back to the practice and then onto our patients.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

There are so many wonderful and rewarding aspects to love about nursing. To be able to be a caring and nurturing person in times of stress or concern for a family is rewarding but also feeling confident in your role that you are able to help patients and give useful advice and support in times of need. For me, making a difference and supporting my local community is what I love and working in a positive and friendly practice is just an added bonus!

 

What is your biggest challenge as a practice nurse and how do you overcome this?

Like all practices and nurses world-wide, I feel the challenges of late would likely revolve around COVID and supporting our community during this pandemic. The changing nature of COVID initially, learning how to triage calls and advise and support our community would come close to being overwhelming. But as time has passed so too did the stress of the pandemic (to some degree). We have managed to support our community with COVID vaccine clinics – proving another challenge in itself, being quite a time-consuming process.

Another challenge I personally feel is the lack of support for our vulnerable ageing community. Accessing services eg home-care packages, transport needs, dementia support for families and carers, referring to My Aged Care and the period between referrals and families being able to receive assistance can be very lengthy.

 

Tell me about your ideal workday?

Working in a positive environment surrounded by an amazing team (which I am daily) but if it was to be truly “ideal” it may need to also include some cake and maybe a little chocolate.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy watching and playing netball (definitely in that order), spending time with family and friends, listening to music and podcasts, day trips to new places, eating out and maybe also enjoying a sneaky wine.

 

Do you have any role models/why?

I do not have any particular role models, but I am in awe of many people who I have met along the way. To those that struggle with day-to-day adversity and continue to stay positive, for those people committed to learning and educating others in their chosen field and I am definitely in awe of all front-line workers who have proven to be so incredibly resilient in recent times.

 

How do you help educate patients about maintaining good health?

I think the trick to educating patients about maintaining good health is to show a keen interest in someone’s general well-being, build rapport, gain trust and respect, ask plenty of questions and by giving plenty of positive feedback.

We need to take advantage of opportunities in the brief time we spend with patients and discuss basics like medication management, skin care regime (being sun sense), checking they are up-to-date with age-appropriate immunisations, attending BMIs etc …just a couple of simple examples.

Practice nurse Jasmine Wei from Medclinic Medical Centre at Panania says the ability to help patients and to work towards their health goals together is the most fulfilling part of her role.

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the LGA you currently work in?

I have been a practice nurse since August 2020 (almost 18 months) and I’ve been working in my LGA for five months.

 

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

Initially, I got into a Bachelor of Nursing because I didn’t do amazing in HSC and it wasn’t hard to get into nursing because it wasn’t high in demand. I thank God for that every day!

I graduated not wanting to be a nurse, so I went into medical reception.

I’m so very grateful for my boss there because she encouraged me to be a nurse. She paid for my immunisation course and allowed me to take days off for further nursing studies (what kind of boss will do that?). The medical centre eventually hired another nurse and that nurse gave me basic practice nurse training.

The training brought back my spark for nursing and I reminisced about how much I loved being hands-on, helping people, the deep conversations we have, and working out solutions together with the doctor for the best patient-centred care.

I also discovered I wasn’t limited to working in hospitals.

Working as a medical receptionist, I was inspired to work in a GP practice, and I started applying for practice nurse jobs.

It was extremely hard finding a practice nurse job with no experience and connections, but eventually, I got there. A medical centre down the South Coast was able to train me as a newbie. That’s when my nursing career officially started.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care …

My day-to-day schedule looks different everyday depending on who comes in on the day. My role generally includes COVID injections, childhood immunisations, adult immunisations, ECGs, blood tests, ear irrigations, health assessments, etc.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

The most fulfilling thing about being a nurse is the ability to help those who want/need help and the ability to reach the goal together with the patient and allied health as a team.

 

What is your biggest challenge as a PN and how do you overcome this?

Working with a variety of doctors is always challenging as every doctor has their own preference of working.

How to overcome this? Having a supportive team makes such a difference, and definitely patience. It takes time for everyone to “get there”. And I encourage other nurses out there to never give up. It takes time for doctors and staff to warm up to you. It takes time for you to learn how every GP works in your clinic.

And once your team knows how everyone works? That’s when you can provide the best patient care. 

 

Tell me about your ideal work day

I start off my day with logging into Deputy (an app where I have to login or I won’t get paid), attend the fridge log, log into Best Practice and popping on some instrumental cafe music for patients to be more at ease throughout injections and procedures.

Throughout the day, it may get a bit more wild – patients come in and out and doctors may randomly call to attend a minor procedure, ear syringing or an injection. (They do know how to keep my day interesting).

To add some spice, every month there are checks to attend (emergency trolley, doctor’s bag and drug samples) and my favourite part, ordering more equipment/supplies.

I generally end my day with a cuppa tea and doing the reverse of the morning – attending the fridge log again and logging out of Best Practice and logging out of the app.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Exploring the world together with my family and friends.

I also happen to really like dessert – if you check out my Instagram, you would know what I mean.

I also happen to really enjoy painting and calligraphy.

 

Do you have any role models and why?

That’s a good question. I’ve got a few.

Firstly, it was my mentor, Kel. She is someone I will forever look up to.

Her heart and intention behind every action (as a nurse) is sincere and she is one of the rarest gems out there. If you’ve met her, you would know what I mean – she would make sure you and your health is well looked after and she would take every little detail into consideration to provide the best healthcare.

Secondly, Kris (now I’m putting you in the spotlight).

Similar to Kel, Kris has taught me so much as a nurse – beyond words and she encourages me to be a better nurse and doing the right thing each and everyday.

 

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

This may depend on what we are educating.

When I educate my patients, I usually explain to them about a better lifestyle/way of doing things. I explain to them what the current problem is and how we can improve from our current problem. I also make sure they are willing to make a change – not much point educating if they are not willing.

If possible, I try to find additional educational resources for them to take home or point them back to the GP for further assistance/education.

Practice nurse Alec El-achrafi has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic for the past four months, supporting patients through their COVID vaccinations and testing at Campbelltown GP Respiratory Clinic. He says his best days are those where every patient leaves the clinic happy with the care they’ve received and in a better condition than when they entered.

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the LGA you currently work in?

I have been a nurse in Dr Dong’s respiratory clinic for four months and I have spent the same amount of time working in the Campbelltown LGA.

 

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

I decided to pursue a career in nursing because I’ve always loved the idea of being able to help people. As to why I chose to be in primary care, it’s very intriguing hearing the different stories and situations which come through the door and you never know what you may contribute to someone’s day.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

The day-to-day role at the moment is very consistent. It’s all about making sure you provide care to a patient in any way possible, whether it be through COVID vaccinations, COVID testing and even just listening to a patient’s current situation and showing them empathy or offering advice when asked. I think as nurses we are able to complement the role of a GP by helping with all the little things. For example, seeing the asymptomatic patients while doing COVID testing so doctors are able to spend extra time with patients who require it. By doing this, it makes what we do as team become much more efficient and helps everyone work together during these tough times to ensure we provide the best care for our patients.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

What I love most about nursing is knowing even the smallest aspect of care can completely change a patient’s day and sometimes even life. Understanding a patient’s situation and being able to help them through whatever it is they require is one of the most fulfilling parts of the nursing role.

 

What is your biggest challenge as a PN and how do you overcome this?

One of the toughest challenges would be the language barrier with some patients. When someone comes into the clinic and they are from a non-English speaking background it is hard to explain to them what you are doing and what is happening. It’s definitely a great learning moment when you find a way to communicate which works for both you and the patient ensuring they receive the required care.

 

Tell me about your ideal work day?

My ideal work day would be knowing when I leave at the end of the day, I have provided the best care possible. This ensures every patient leaves the clinic happy with the care we provide and in a better condition than when they entered.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I enjoy going on adventures with family and friends. One of the main things I love to do is go fishing with friends. Even if we don’t catch anything I know as long as we are all together and laughing it’s going to be a good day.

 

Do you have any role models and why?

I have a few role models I look up to at the moment. One of the main ones would be Dr Dong Hua. He is very hard working and supportive. The way he runs the medical centre and clinics is amazing. He always allows everyone to work as a team and express themselves how they wish. I always know when I come in to work it’s going to be a good day and that is very important in an environment where you spend most of your time. Some of the other role models would be Dr Richard Nguyen, Dr Allison Thorn and Dr Migie Lee as I know they are always willing to help with anything you require whether it be asking for assistance with a patient, needing an answer to a question or even just having a friendly conversation. It’s a great working environment and all these people contribute so much to ensure everything operates smoothly.

 

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

One of the main ways I help educate patients at the moment would be explaining to them the side effects and risks of receiving a COVID vaccine. It is very helpful advice to give to patients especially when discussing how the benefits outweigh the risk and helping people understand the vaccine is a great way to help people in these tough times to find a way back to regular life.

HK Medical Centre, Fairfield’s Courtney Daley is new to practice nursing and loving her role learning about and caring for her patients, and educating them about healthy habits and taking good care of themselves.

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the LGA you currently work in?

I am very new to the practice nurse community. I have currently been working as a practice nurse for four weeks but I have been working within Fairfield LGA for about a year.

 

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

I don’t think I ever really decided to be a nurse. It was just something that I always wanted to do. I have always been a big science fan and found health and the human body fascinating so maybe that played a role in my career choice. I chose primary care as I want to expand my knowledge and experience through working in all different sections of the healthcare system.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

I feel the role of nurses in primary care is based around education and observation. We are there to ensure all concerns and queries are answered in full to our patients. We complement the role of the GP by liaising with them regarding the patient’s condition, create care plans together and assist the GPs with procedures.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

I love being a nurse as it has made me a much kinder, patient and confident person. I enjoy meeting different people from all kinds of backgrounds and learn about the life they have led themselves. I feel  every day, whether good or bad, is fulfilling for me. Every time I leave a shift I feel like I have accomplished something and hopefully made someone’s life a little bit better that day. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

 

What is your biggest challenge as a PN and how do you overcome this?

Personally my biggest challenge as a PN currently is the language barrier between myself and my patients but our helpful receptionists help assist with this. If you work as a team there aren’t many challenges.

 

Tell me about your ideal work day…

My ideal workday would be a mix of physical tasks I have to perform and mental tasks. This would ensure I am practising my clinical skills so as to improve such as dressings, vaccinations etc as well as mental tasks such as overlooking care plans, histories to improve my knowledge and critical thinking skills. I feel this variation in tasks throughout the day keeps me focused on my role.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time I like to get outside with friends and do things like hiking, going to the beach, exploring. Unfortunately, with the current circumstances I have been unable to do these things but I started taking up reading again which passes the time.

 

Do you have any role models and why?

I don’t have any specific role model I look up to if I’m honest. Rather than modelling after a specific person I guess I remember moments or actions of someone and use those good qualities I see in my own professional/personal situations.

 

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

I assist in helping our patients with education via ensuring they fully understand what I am informing them about. For example, utilising our receptionists and the translation and interpreting service, providing written information such as fact/advice sheets and looking at the patient holistically. I encourage the patient to practice healthy habits and ensure they understand the risks of not taking care of themselves appropriately. Also, before they leave my care I ensure they are satisfied with my information and that any further questions are answered.

Practice nurse Kimberley Moutia loves her work in Aboriginal health, and is passionate about the community in which she works and supporting her patients to improve their health.

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the LGA you currently work in?

I have been a practice nurse for almost two years, working at Gandangara Health Services in Liverpool.

 

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

I decided straight out of high school I wanted to pursue a nursing career, as I have always been interested in the human body and learning about the complex processes involved in the things we take for granted (ie breathing, eating, fighting infection, walking etc). I found myself falling into a primary care career after spending time working in hospitals where I found the fast turn-around of patients impacted the ability to develop a valuable therapeutic relationship. I found the way we completely lost touch with our patients as they left the service off-putting and really wished I could follow up with them to find out how they were travelling after leaving hospital. I worked in clinical trials for about 18 months and enjoyed being able to see the patients through over months and years. From that I found myself in a role in primary health at an Aboriginal Medical Centre, which felt immediately more aligned with my passions. This, and my longing to follow clients through their holistic health journey, as well as the added submersion into Aboriginal culture, focusing on the health benefits of reconnecting to culture and spirit.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

In Aboriginal primary health the role of the RN is wide and varied. It includes anything from your basic observations, immunisations, wounds, injections, chronic disease management plans, health education, to Aboriginal Health Assessments, venipuncture, assisting with procedures (removal of lesions, insertion/removal of contraceptive devices, ear syringing etc), sitting on community health committees, and participating in the planning and delivery of community events and networking.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

I love helping people to understand what is going on with their bodies and solving problems they may not have realised could have been solved. I also love being with people on their health journey, and seeing how much their health can improve with the right intervention and support.

 

What is your biggest challenge as a PN and how do you overcome this?

The biggest challenge I have faced is adjusting to working in Aboriginal health. I didn’t realise before working in Aboriginal health how different it was to mainstream GP practices. The community becomes your family, and you become so passionate about following up, learning about their family and community groups, attending community events … it’s a whole other world and I absolutely love it but it was a complete flip of what I’d learned so far.

 

Tell me about your ideal work day…

I’m lucky enough to work with an amazing team who feel like family to me, so every day feels kind of ideal. Specifically, I love attending community events and running health promotion programs, so an ideal day would be me and my team going out in the community and delivering health promotion to everyone over a lovely BBQ.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I have two children under the age of five, so in my spare time I’m always playing games with them, taking them out to enjoy nature, doing arts and crafts, and just having fun. Being a practice nurse means I can manage a good work-life balance most of the time.

 

Do you have any role models and why?

I work with a whole list of people who I consider role models. Of note, my senior PN Emma has been an amazing mentor for me in adjusting to working as a PN. She sets the example of the kind of nurse that I strive to be. She is passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring for all the patients and staff.

 

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

I lead by example but also provide an understanding ear to listen and gently guide them on their journey. The 715 Aboriginal Health Assessment has been a great asset in assessing and then educating clients on all aspects of health (physical, mental, spiritual, social), so we do this frequently in clinic.

Practice nurse Sharni Xuereb from Our Medical Home Gregory Hills says she was always meant to be a nurse – a role she loves. She says the most fulfilling part of her job is knowing ‘I have helped an individual whether it be something minor or major’.

 

How long have you been a practice nurse and how long have you been working in the LGA you currently work in?

I began my practice nursing career at Our Medical Home Gregory Hills in January 2021.

 

When/why did you decide to pursue a career in nursing and specifically in primary care?

When I finished high school in 2013, I was unsure what career path I wanted to take. For as long as I can remember my mum kept telling me “you should be a nurse Sharni, one day you will realise it and become a nurse” and I brushed her off about it for years.

Then, one day a light bulb went off in my head and I decided I would do a TAFE course and see how I went. I started out by doing my Certificate II in Health Services Assistant and I loved it and decided to study an Enrolled Nursing Diploma. I was enjoying the course but was still unsure.

Unfortunately, my grandmother received news – she had pancreatic and lung cancer. My heart broke. I was fortunate enough to help my family take care of her. I took my grandmother to all her chemotherapy appointments and would help take care of her. As time went on eventually my grandmother needed to go into a palliative care ward. I would be with her every day and that is when I knew being a nurse was the only career I wanted. I was meant to be a nurse. When my grandmother passed away, I headed to university to complete my RN degree. I am still studying, and working in a primary care environment has given me the opportunity to learn new skills and apply everything I have learnt in the clinical environment.

 

Tell us about the role of nurses in primary care

I work in a very busy medical centre. Altogether I work alongside 16 doctors. No two of my days are the same. I see a variety of patients for different reasons every day. Working directly with GPs I am able to assist them to have things organised and prepped ready to ensure their day runs smoothly. Some patients I see daily, this can take a lot of the pressure off the hospital system as I am able to build a strong rapport with the individuals on a daily basis.

 

What do you love about nursing/what do you find most fulfilling about your role?

I love being a nurse. The most fulfilling part of my job is knowing I have helped an individual whether it be something minor or major. Being a nurse, I see some people in their most vulnerable times in life and being able to talk to them and build a relationship with them makes me love being a nurse even more.

 

What is your biggest challenge as a PN and how do you overcome this?

My biggest challenge would have to be not knowing what’s about to come through my treatment room door. I see a variety of medical things such as vaccinations, asthma attacks, chest pain, chronic wounds, lacerations and so much more. Being ready and prepared would have to be my biggest challenge because I need to be ready and focused to assist in any medical case I may see.

 

Tell me about your ideal work day

My ideal workday would have to be a day that runs smoothly. Sometimes medical emergencies can come in at the same time. Being able to adjust myself and be organised to triage all of them appropriately, and ensuring a smoothly run day, is definitely my ideal workday.

 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I currently am studying my RN degree at university. While I spend a lot of time on my degree, I enjoy spending quality time with my parents. They are so proud of me and I love how close I am with them and can tell them about what I do at work. I speak to my Mum every day and am grateful I am able to do that.

 

Do you have any role models and why?

One of my biggest role models would have to be my treatment room team leader Kelly Andronicus. The support she has given me is incredible. I talk to Kelly about everything, what I might have seen within my shift or what’s been happening at university and Kelly has always given me words of wisdom and encouraged me to continue my path as a nurse.

 

How do you help educate your patients about maintaining good health?

When it comes to educating my patients about a healthy lifestyle, I always reflect on what I do too. I would never ask my patients to do anything that I don’t believe I could do myself. I feel as though patients asking for advice would want to know what I do myself to also maintain a healthy lifestyle.