The People of Primary Care
Primary and preventative care with Alandria Wickett, Nurse Practitioner
The second week of November is Nurse Practitioner (NP) Week. We’d like to recognize the positive impact Ontario’s NPs make within primary health care and in the lives of their patients.
Please Introduce Yourself
I’m Alandria Wickett, Nurse Practitioner
What Do You Do?
My role is to provide improved access to primary care in Ontario. In collaboration with my physician colleagues, I endeavour to provide an empathic, holistic and caring option to those who are sick and in need. I also provide preventative health care, helping patients achieve longevity with high quality of life.
What Brought You To This Profession?
Since childhood I have had empathetic heart which lead me naturally to want to help those who are sick. I also have a love of science and medicine. Seeing overburdened emergency departments in my prior career as a registered nurse motivated me to try and alleviate that burden any way I could. Now as an NP, primary and preventative care is where we can make the most impact.
What brings you joy in your work?
Seeing patient lives transformed for the better by a simple listening ear and a caring heart keeps me going. If I can be a blessing to the patients that come through my office then I feel that I have accomplished my purpose.
How does working in an interprofessional primary care team support the work you do?
There is simply no way forward in Ontario health care without team collaboration. Physicians, nurses of all levels, and allied health need to work together. Patients get the best of us when we humble ourselves by learning and depending on our team to work with us.
What is something patients are often surprised to learn you can help with?
Nurse Practitioners can diagnose, prescribe, and order all testing that patients need. If there is ever a question, we collaborate with our team to ensure complete care.
What’s something your colleagues and patients would be surprised to learn about you?
I am bilingual French Canadian, and I love sports! Basketball in particular.
Where can we find you when you’re not in the office?
I love walking on trails, hiking, ad going to the gym.
This is a photo with my Dog, Maggie, at a Walk for the Cure.
Thank you Alandria, and all NPs for all that you do. Your dedication to independent, comprehensive, and compassionate patient care is making a difference in our community every single day. If you see a Nurse Practitioner, please take a moment this week to say thank you.