Shelby Rae Jester, PA

I chose to go into medicine because of the care that I received as a patient from nursing staff at Mercy. I decided to advance as a nurse practitioner. I wanted to focus on long-term relationships instead of building a short-term relationship with a patient at the bedside that ends when they leave. Patients want a more long-term relationship so I can educate them, help them understand what they're going through. I am passionate about building relationships with my patients. That's very important to me because patients have to trust me and they have to trust what I'm telling them. The most gratifying part of practicing medicine is the relationships. I always try to make a connection with patients, whether at their bedside or in the clinic, where I see them again and again. That way, they respond to me in a positive way, so I know that I'm doing a good job and I know they're receiving what I have to give them.

I chose primary care because it provides the full spectrum of patient care, from birth all the way through to the end of life. My favorite part of my work is educating my patients and teaching them how to effectively help care for themselves and empower them to make their own health care decisions. I'm motivated by providing thorough service to my patients. I hope that they feel like they can come into the clinic and see me with their problem and leave feeling empowered to take part in their care and quality of life. The most gratifying part of practicing medicine for me is seeing my patients come back having succeeded by using the plan we made to help them improve their health outcomes and then watching them feel empowered to move forward with their lives.

Prevention is really the key to health and wellness. Vaccines, annual well visits, cancer screenings and management of chronic conditions like blood pressure and diabetes are all important to maintaining good health. Listening to patients? concerns helps me tailor my best advice to their needs to create intentional choices that can positively impact their health. Over the last decade, the practice of medicine has changed. I continue to learn and change to follow standards of care.