With 26 years of nursing experience, Nicole has spent her career caring for patients during some of their most vulnerable moments — from the cardiac intensive care unit to the Breast Health Center, where she supported women navigating a new cancer diagnosis. That experience shaped her into a nurse practitioner who leads with empathy and truly listens. Nicole earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Troy University with academic honors before pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Auburn University, gaining hands-on training across primary care, women’s health, and pediatrics along the way. She joined Rao Heart & Vascular as a CRNP in September, bringing decades of bedside compassion and clinical expertise to her patients in cardiology. Nicole believes that good care starts with a good relationship, and she’s dedicated to making every patient feel heard and cared for.