Carmen Gatline | Covid Care with Compassion

ACUTE CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER, PULMONOLOGY | COLLOM & CARNEY CLINIX

Carmen Gatlin has been practicing as a nurse practitioner in pulmonology for 15 years both in the clinic and hospital settings.  Her compassion for helping others has been the driving force behind her decision to obtain her acute care nurse practitioner certification.  While working on the front lines during this Covid pandemic, Carmen has remained steadfast in her dedication to her patients and genuinely does her best to help them return to everyday life.

photo by: ABBY ELLIOTT

 Why did you decide to be a nurse practitioner?  

I chose nursing because I am an empath and compassionate, and I knew that those traits would be complementary in the nursing profession. I had a desire to help others, and I was fascinated by the complexities of the human body. I was an RN for nine years before completing my Master of Science in Nursing and obtaining certification as an acute care nurse practitioner. 

Name one thing about your profession that people might not know.

One thing about my profession and the nursing profession as a whole that most don’t realize is that our experiences stay with us, even years later. I can recall so many details about specific patients and situations, some good, some heart-wrenching. But at the end of the day, I look at all of these experiences with gratitude that I was able to make a difference even if I was unable to control the outcome. I think nurses get that, and that’s what drives us to keep providing the best care we can and to be cognizant that we don’t just provide physical care to the patient. It’s spiritual and emotional care that extends not only to the patient but to families and our coworkers as well. These experiences are what make us better nurses and providers.

Who has helped you become the person you are today, and how did they inspire you?

I think probably the most influential people in my life are my parents. I am adopted, as are my three siblings. I am forever grateful for their unconditional love and support and for the irrefutable fact that my life would not be anywhere near the same had they not extended a lifeline to me and each of my siblings through adoption. My mom is the rock of our family and despite losing my dad to cancer at the age of 62, she has remained strong, if not stronger. She inspires me on the daily with her strength, her unwavering faith, and devotion to her family.

Tell us one thing you can’t do without on Thanksgiving Day and explain why.

A laid back Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends is definitely the tradition that I love the most. Of course, a little Dallas Cowboys football doesn’t hurt either. I was born and raised a Cowboys fan so a win on Thanksgiving Day is always a plus! Go ’Boys!

What do you love most about the Four States area?

I think the Four States Area is a great place to raise a family. The region still has a small hometown feel to it, but its central location makes an easy day trip to Dallas, Shreveport, or Little Rock if you’re in the mood for big city life. But if you want an easy weekend in the country or at the lake, there are plenty of beautiful places in the area. I prefer the latter.

What lessons have you learned from the pandemic?

One thing I have learned from the pandemic is to cherish your health and the health of your loved ones. It’s a reminder that we do not have a guarantee of tomorrow. At this point in the pandemic, we all know someone who has been greatly affected by Covid or have personally lost someone to the virus. Working on the front lines has proven to me that this virus really knows no bounds, affecting both healthy and unhealthy, both young and old, the weak and the strong.

How would you like for others to remember you? 

I would like others to remember me in a positive light: as someone fun loving, with an easy smile and a genuine laugh, as a supportive and loving mom, as a good friend and listener, as someone that worked hard in life, but enjoyed playing hard too, and as a knowledgeable, competent, and compassionate healthcare provider.