Carson Valley Health welcomes Specialist APRN ready to engage patients in their care

GARDNERVILLE, Nev. - Carson Valley Health Specialty Care Ironwood is delighted to welcome new APRN, Michele Ting to the practice. Michele is in the office three days a week and specializes in urology.

An APRN is an advanced practice registered nurse.

Michele has been a nurse for almost 30 years. “I’ve always sought to learn more, to grow, and not just be stuck in what I know,” she says. Over the years of building on her career, nurse practitioner was a logical next step. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Western Governors University in May 2023.

On the benefits to patients of seeing an APRN Michele says: “I think having the nursing experience is huge. As nurses, we spend a lot of time trying to prepare patients, not just for what to expect with their medical treatments, but for the next steps when they leave.” APRNs are very experienced nurses, positioned to give excellent care: “there’s more of a well-rounded, involved patient care experience. Nurses have a wide variety of experiences in patient care, patient compassion, and working with different people. We have an ability to touch every part of a patient’s life and participate in their care on a deeper level,” says Michele.

Why did she choose Carson Valley Health? Michele did part of her clinical requirements in Minden, “I fell in love with the area,” she says.

An avid hiker, Michele loves the beauty of the Carson Valley and is content to work right in the middle of it. In her free time, Michele also volunteers with Pawsibilities, an animal rescue, helping them with photographing and promoting the pets. She has horses, which have been a lifelong passion for her, and does dressage – she plans to show this year. Along with her husband, she enjoys traveling to places such as Yellowstone and recently came back from a trip to Alaska. “Anything outside is magic,” Michele says.

“My favorite part of the Carson Valley is the openness of it,” says Michele. “The mountain ranges, the trees, the spectacular hikes. There’s something about being surrounded by the mountains that is comforting - it feels like home to me,” she says.

Michele describes her favorite part of being an APRN as educating patients. “Being able to make a difference for the patient’s experience,” she says. Michele feels that in healthcare, patients are often given a lot of information to take away and it is assumed that they understand. The reality is that they’re frequently overwhelmed or frustrated and don’t understand why things are happening. “I like to give patients more information,” she says. “I like to go through their labs and make it something they understand, so that it means more to them, and they’re more engaged in their care.” Michele wants to help patients be active participants in their own care rather than just “having things told to them.”

Michele carefully chose her urology specialty. “One of the things that appealed to me was to be an expert in the field I went into,” she says. It was important to me that I master that information and be good at translating it for the patient.” She sees urology as an opportunity to know a field very well and to help patients to manage any changes that are happening to them. She was also excited to work with Dr. Cunningham, “he’s a wonderful, kind man and a great teacher,” says Michele.

Michele’s memorable parts of her nursing career have involved getting to know her patients well and to help them, wherever they are on their journey. “It’s a privilege to be part of their story,” she says. Michele has worked in a number of fields. “Every single one of them has contributed to the person I am today,” she says. Her patients have ranged from pediatrics to the elderly.

Urology patients looking for excellent care and to feel empowered with their own care should make an appointment to see her at Carson Valley Health Specialty Care Ironwood. We’re excited to have her with us!