Where there's a will...

MIT Medical's Chris Stella found her way to a new career

Nurse practitioner Christine Stella, A.P.R.N.,B.C., has been a familiar face at MIT Medical for more than 15 years, though the nurse practitioner role is a new one for her as of September 6. At MIT Medical, adult nurse practitioners like Stella work independently and in collaboration with other clinicians to diagnose and treat patients. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who have additional graduate education and training. Nurse practitioners care for patients primarily in outpatient settings, like MIT Medical, taking health histories, performing physical examinations, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses, and prescribing medication.

Stella began her career at MIT Medical as an administrative secretary in 1989. "I liked my job, but I wanted to have a more active role in patient care," she explains. So, she spent her nights and weekends pursuing a nursing degree at Somerville Hospital School of Nursing.

In 1997, Stella, then a registered nurse, began working weekends on an "as needed" basis in MIT Medical's Inpatient Service. This was on top of her full-time administrative position and her responsibilities as a part-time student pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing at Northeastern University . In 1999, about the time she finished her bachelor's degree, she started working full-time as a nurse in the Inpatient Service.

Stella decided to continue studying at Northeastern, this time to earn a master's degree in nursing and become a nurse practitioner. "I decided to become a nurse practitioner after seeing how the nurse practitioners here at MIT Medical practiced," she explains. "They treat patients independently and are well liked and respected by patients and other clinicians."

Stella also says she was interested in being a nurse practitioner because she feels they provide high-quality care to their patients. "Generally, nurse practitioners have a range of clinical knowledge that enables them to manage complex patient-care situations," she explains. Stella also likes the emphasis nurse practitioners place on health promotion and patient education.

Stella sees patients at MIT Medical in Cambridge on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays on 3West. "I love the community here, because I see patients who range in age from 18 to 100, literally," she says. She works in collaboration with Howard Heller, M.D.; Michael Kane, M.D.; William Ruth, M.D.; and Elaine Shiang, M.D., ironically the very group she provided administrative support to for six years.

Stella is grateful to her fellow clinicians for supporting her academic pursuits. "It was definitely hard at times, but I tried to focus on short-term goals-not more than six weeks ahead," she says. "I had to stay disciplined and organized, too." She also says MIT's tuition benefit was a huge help. "School was a lot of work but the benefit made it possible," she says.

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