Tamara Torres, APRN. CNP, has spent her career focusing on some of the most complex and life-changing aspects of cardiac care. Since 2013, she has worked at the Cleveland Clinic, starting her career as a bedside nurse and spending the past eight years as a nurse practitioner working in the inpatient and outpatient environment to care for patients with cardiovascular needs.
When asked what inspired her to become a nurse, Tamara explained that nursing was a career she often heard about and felt like it was the right fit for her. “I’ve always taken care of people,” Tamara shared. “I’ve always wanted to do something for others.”
That desire to care for others led her to one of the top hospitals in the country. The Cleveland Clinic, nationally recognized for its cardiac care and the world-renowned cardiologists, nurses, APPs, and surgeons, is a leader in innovation and research that directly improves patient care and outcomes. There, Tamara has specialized in electrophysiology, a subsection of cardiology that focuses on cardiac arrhythmias. She often works with patients who have heart failure, need pacemakers, or are experiencing arrhythmias.
While physicians provide critical diagnoses and treatment decisions, Tamara emphasizes that advanced practice providers (APPs) have a distinct role in cardiology. APPs often have more time to connect with patients and can spend time sharing information, answering questions, and creating a safe space that’s personal and relatable. When patients feel heard and understood, they’re more likely to trust their providers and stick to treatment plans.
And while this is true in all facets of healthcare, Heart Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to highlight the importance of trusting medical professionals and taking precautionary measures to protect your cardiac health.
Tamara discussed how people in their 20s and 30s often feel like heart disease doesn’t impact them, when in reality, the decisions and lifestyle choices you make when you’re younger play a major role in your future heart health.
A few simple ways to protect heart health are:
- Managing stress
- Seeing an APRN or medical provider consistently
- Getting routine cholesterol checks
- Staying active
Tamara also stresses the importance of being mindful of what you’re putting into your body. It’s not about completely removing coffee or sweets from your diet; it’s about enjoying these things in moderation.
Additionally, Tamara emphasized that misinformation is rampant these days – largely due to social media – and to remember that your provider knows best.
However, getting in front of providers in a timely manner remains one of the biggest barriers to cardiac care. Appointments with specialists can take months to book, and the growing elderly population has increased demand across the healthcare system.
There’s a consistent need for more providers, whether that’s APRNs, PAs, or physicians, to ensure patients receive timely, quality care. Expanding and supporting the healthcare workforce is essential to meeting these needs.
OAAPN works to inform and educate APRNs like Tamara to make sure they have the proper resources to provide the most up-to-date care. This advocacy means everything to APRNs, helping to strengthen their profession and improve patient outcomes with trusted care that makes a difference.