03/26/2026
Hills I Will Die On as a Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care (Part 3)
1. Labs don’t tell the whole story. Treat the patient, not just the numbers. Clinical context matters.
2. Prevention should be accessible, not privileged. Screenings, education, and early care should not depend on income or zip code.
3. Language access is patient safety. Using interpreters isn’t optional it’s essential for equitable care.
4. Missed appointments aren’t laziness. They’re often a sign of deeper barriers: work, childcare, transportation, fear.
5. Weight is not the only health metric. Health is more than BMI focus on behaviors, not just the scale.
6. Patients Google and that’s okay. Our job isn’t to shame it’s to guide, educate, and clarify.
7. Medication adherence is a system issue. Cost, side effects, and access matter just as much as prescribing.
8. Patients remember how you made them feel. Long after the visit, empathy and respect are what stick.
9. Primary care requires critical thinking. We manage complexity, uncertainty, and everything in between.
10. Representation in healthcare matters. As a Latina Nurse Practitioner, I know trust grows when patients feel seen.
