Nilda Acosta, Medical Assistant

When I was 5 years old, I had major surgery on my ear. I just remember the nurses and the team being so pleasant with me. I remember I wanted to be like them. When I graduated from high school, I thought I’d be a medical assistant for a little bit.

Medical assistants help the providers by getting them answers to things they may not know, like “how do I get this person a test and where should they go?” We figure those things out for them so they can focus on the patients.

‘We literally brought him back to life’

I also joined my local fire company and became an emergency medical technician. That’s what got me thinking about being a nurse practitioner — it was exciting to see people going from really bad to better because of what we could do for them. I remember there was an 85-year-old man who was in cardiac arrest when we got to his house and we literally brought him back to life.

Now I work full-time and go to school in the evenings to become a nurse, and eventually a nurse practitioner. I also have three kids — 16, 14 and 11 — and they like seeing me do this. On nights where I have class, I barely see them, but they’re excited for me.

When you’re smiling

At work, I try to make my patients’ experiences here as pleasant as possible. I want them to be comfortable, especially if they say they are anxious or worried. When I call my regulars, they recognize my voice — ”Oh, Nilda, it’s you. How are you?” They seem to really enjoy talking with me. It’s the satisfaction of being able to help people.

The best part of my job is when I am able to put a smile on my patients’ faces. To know I’ve brightened someone’s day makes me feel accomplished.

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