How would you introduce yourself to a stranger?

Aloha! I am Dr. Nance, a proud mom, a happy wife, a loving sister, a doting grandma, and a magnificent friend. My stress reliever is shopping, and I love going out —this keeps me forever young! Ultimately, I identify myself as a creator —from my family to my business and to experiences with nonprofit organizations and friends. How about you?

In the next 10 years, what do you hope to see in your industry?

My short-term vision is that more nurses decide to become Nurse Entrepreneurs. I believe nurses have the skill set to be some of the best entrepreneurs—from being able to diagnose pain points, determine and create solutions, being able to lead during incredibly challenging life and death situations, being able to triage and make decisions and act quickly.

Nurses are inherently trained to become powerful entrepreneurs and I believe nurses can do so much more to help people after their clinical bedside experience or an employee. My long-term vision is that we will see those same women nurse entrepreneurs and nurses in leadership, c-suite and executive roles on boards of healthcare companies and organizations making sweeping strategic decisions that impact the industry at large.

What do you love most about your job?

I am gifted with the opportunity to make a direct positive difference in so many people’s lives. My clients (patients and caregivers) are the most kind and generous people I have had the chance to work with and are constantly letting me know how appreciative they are of the work my team and I are able to do for them. They will drop off food at my office, hug me so tightly, and tell me that they are going to church to pray for me that I will live a long life.

I also love that I am able to make that impact on my client’s lives through my decisive actions and independent thinking. Having my own company, I can determine what is best for my clients and not have to fight with bureaucracy and unnecessary barriers to quality patient care.

What are some of the biggest challenges facing your industry?

Nurses are constantly underestimated and undervalued in the healthcare professions. Doctors often will not view us as their peers even when we may have several years if not decades more experience than they do. This can negatively impact patient care when our opinions are not heard or ignored, especially when nurses spend the most time with patients.

The issue is compounded by the overarching shortage of nurses across the world. Nursing is incredibly hard work and while it is an extremely rewarding profession it can be difficult to want to enter or stay in the profession if you don’t feel seen, heard, or valued. When there is a lack of skilled nurses this results in inadequate care for patients and ultimately patients’ overall experience and health outcomes.

What has been the biggest sacrifice you’ve made for your career?

I have been blessed more than most to have two loves of my life. My career and my family. There have been times where I have had to choose one over the other and those have been difficult decisions for me, especially when the other feels neglected or not like the priority. When I have had to choose, I make sure the time I spend with each is quality over quantity and I work hard to be fully present and engaged.

What has been the biggest reward?

I am incredibly grateful to the nurses who have guided and mentored me throughout my life. At this point in my career, I truly enjoy being able to pay that mentorship forward and to have the ability to philanthropically support other aspiring nurses and organizations that support nursing.

What failure taught you the biggest lesson?

There was a time early on in my career when I was burnt out from the long hours and lack of appreciation for the incredibly hard work I did as a nurse. I decided to leave the nursing profession and bought a travel agency because of my love for travel. While I was successful at running the agency, I learned quickly that nursing is my true calling and I always say that if I were born again, I would choose to become a nurse again because the skills I have learned from being a nurse translates into any other profession.

What makes you stand out as a leader?

I am Chief Executive Officer for a reason. I am able to execute on any project I choose to take on and I will deliver it better and faster than was expected of me. I lead with my heart and act with my brain—bringing compassion, kindness, and empathy to my decisive actions. As a nurse, one of your main roles is to be the patient’s advocate, and I carry that responsibility through to everything I do. My staff and clients know that I will always put their best interests first and will fight for them. I also believe everything is a learning opportunity, especially our mistakes, which are opportunities for us to better ourselves.