What it’s really like to work as a nurse in Birmingham + why it’s better here than anywhere else
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When graduating college with a degree in a high-demand field like nursing, career options are extensive. The question is, do you choose to stay in your home city or move to a brand new place? We spoke with Jordan Carter, Birmingham native and nurse practitioner with American Family Care (AFC) about what he did when faced with this decision. Here’s what we learned.
Meet Jordan Carter
Jordan Carter grew up in the Greater Birmingham Area and graduated from Oak Mountain High School. From there, he attended The University of Alabama, and in 2012, received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
A few years later, in 2015, he and his wife ventured away from home to California then Texas for various travel nursing contracts. But with a strong love of the Birmingham area pulling at their heartstrings, they found themselves back in The Magic City.
“After our travel nursing adventure, I decided to attend the Dual Role nurse practitioner program at The University of South Alabama. I graduated from The University of South Alabama in May 2019 with a Masters in Nursing and soon after graduation, I became a Dual Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
Shortly after passing my certification exams, I began working nights as a Hospitalist Nurse practitioner. This was a great position and a great learning experience. My wife and I had recently welcomed our first baby and the night shift was not the best schedule for our family. So, during the height of the pandemic, I decided to look for another position.”
Jordan Carter, Nurse Practitioner, American Family Care Greystone
Happily, Jordan found a position with American Family Care as a nurse practitioner. He has been with the company for seven months. His role—to treat the needs and illnesses of American Family Care’s walk-in patients.
“It was always a goal of mine to work in the Urgent Care setting at some point in my career, and I was very fortunate to find a home with American Family Care.”
So far, he loves it.
“I love that my job at American Family Care allows me to help people daily. I enjoy solving acute problems for my patients and assisting them with overcoming their illnesses. We also have wonderful support staff at American Family Care. Everyone from the front office staff to the nursing staff and even the pharmacist who fills our patients’ prescriptions show great teamwork and help things flow seamlessly daily.”
Jordan Carter
American Family Care’s Role During the Pandemic
Throughout the pandemic, we all witnessed the heroism of those in the healthcare industry. Whether working at hospitals, COVID-19 testing sites or walk-in emergency clinics, healthcare workers, including those at American Family Care, played an enormous role in getting us through.
“The pandemic put American Family Care in a position to shine and I feel that we have done that well. Over the last year, many patients have increasingly looked toward American Family Care for Primary Care needs. Numerous patients have expressed difficulty getting in to see their primary care providers for refills or chronic illness visits due to COVID-19 restrictions. American Family Care has stepped in to fill this void.”
Jordan Carter
As a walk-in clinic, patients have been able to have in-person appointments with AFC providers. They refill important medications without an appointment—even on holidays and weekends.
“The sheer volume that AFC was able to handle during the busy COVID-19 months was extremely impressive to me. I think we were seeing 100-140 patients daily at most of our clinics in the Birmingham area at that time. Incredibly, the staff was able to adapt and continue to offer effective care during those busy times.”
Jordan Carter
Another thing Jordan informed me about is that American Family Care stepped in as one of Birmingham’s COVID-19 vaccination sites; they also offer the Monoclonal Antibody Infusion to qualifying positive COVID-19 patients.
A few Birmingham favorites
With a great love of the Greater Birmingham Area, I had to find out a few of Carter’s favorite things. Here’s what he said:
“My favorite part of living in Birmingham is the culinary scene. Our city has a diverse mix of award-winning restaurants, especially given the smaller size of the city, and in my opinion, we have the best barbecue in the country.”
Jordan also noted his love for Birmingham’s many outdoor parks and green spaces, including hiking and biking trails. It makes sense considering Jordan is an avid golfer and a member of the Hoover Country Club.
“If I am not at work you can likely find me on the golf course or playing with my daughter in the backyard. I also enjoy spending time with my family fishing and boating on Smith Lake.”
To learn more about American Family Care and to find a location near you, visit their website and following them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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