Alayna Pine
I work as a family nurse practitioner in a busy urban family practice. I serve a diverse patient population and treat chronic and acute health issues. Because many of my patients struggle with housing and food insecurity, I work closely with our staff social workers to coordinate care and provide resources.
As an undergraduate, I had a strong interest in social and economic justice. I worked as a campus organizer for Oxfam America, tutored young children, and completed an internship with a local organization providing workshops on peaceful conflict resolution. As a religious studies major, I was motivated by the desire to understand what made life meaningful for individuals, and how they defined a moral life. The highlight of my undergraduate career was studying Islam in Morocco.
While in college, I believed that I would likely end up working for a non profit in some capacity, but I did not have a good understanding of the skills necessary to obtain these kinds of positions. After I graduated, I participated in an americorps program that trained me as a childbirth educator and doula (birth coach) for a predominantly Spanish speaking population in Providence, Rhode Island. From this experience, I learned that I loved interacting with people from lots of different backgrounds, as well as the camaraderie of working in healthcare.
After Americorps, I made the decision to pursue a degree as a family nurse practitioner. I reasoned that the degree would not take as long as medical school and residency, and I was confident that I preferred to work in an outpatient clinical setting, rather than a specialized branch of medicine such as surgery or oncology. I spent a year taking prerequisites for nursing school, then completed a 3 year masters of science in nursing at The Ohio Stare University.
In my 15 year career as a family nurse practitioner, I have enjoyed listening and learning from people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. I often feel really lucky that I get to witness important moments in my patients’ lives, and provide help for people who are suffering.
