Ms. Cay Hosterman has been an employee of the Health Center as a nurse practitioner for nearly a decade. During the school day, she treats a wide variety of illnesses and injuries. Outside of the Health Center, Ms. Hosterman maintains a healthy work-life balance by going on walks with her dogs. 

What led you to the school? 

My educational and training background is as a family nurse practitioner, and I have been a nurse practitioner for over 20 years. So, I have worked with patients in all age groups. When I joined the school, I was excited about the opportunity to focus on working with teenagers, especially ones that come from such diverse backgrounds. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

My days can be really different. Dr. Zach McClain, medical director, and I have similar roles in the Health Center, managing student health on a day-to-day basis. Dr. McClain and I also share on-call hours. So, if a student comes in hurt or ill when we are not there, the nurses can call one of us to collaborate on a treatment plan, especially if it’s a more serious medical situation. 

Generally, I start my day checking on results from labs and x-rays or reading notes from providers who have seen students off campus. I also meet with the nurses about students who spent the night at the Health Center, determine who I need to see, and what the best plan of care might be for each student. 

I usually have scheduled appointments throughout the day. Students see me for lots of different reasons: head injuries, orthopedic injuries, persistent colds, and sexual health inquiries, to name a few. In between appointments, I am often calling parents with updates or touching base with the nurses about students visiting the Health Center. 

Sometimes, I may need to order an x-ray or send a student to see a specialist. When I do, I seek the help of our front desk to arrange off-campus appointments. Based off what a student shares with me during our appointment, I am also in a position to determine whether they should see a mental health counselor, a nutritionist, or athletic trainer. 

Finally, I collaborate with the academic office if a student who has been ill for a prolonged period of time needs some academic accommodations. 

What’s your favorite part of your job? 

I look forward to the whole package of my job! I really look forward to my interactions with students. I also love working with my co-workers. Working as a team allows us to take really good care of students, and I am really proud of that. 

What do you feel is the most crucial aspect of the role as nurse practitioner? 

Traditionally, nurse practitioners are trained to treat their patients holistically. For instance, if a patient has a recurring headache, I could just keep giving them a Tylenol. However, things like sleep, stress, and eating habits are really important to ask about. We know these factors play a role in how we feel and can contribute to various medical issues, including headaches. So, the most important part of my role is recognizing these factors and tackling them comprehensively. 

What do you think is most important for leading a healthy life? 

Educating a patient and empowering them to make lifestyle changes that might help prevent further problems is a really important piece of staying healthy. Healthy habits that are established as a teenager or young adult can have positive consequences on a patient’s health for the rest of their life. 

What advice would you offer to someone interested in entering the medical field? 

Find a field of practice within medicine that you feel passionate about and that makes you feel like you are making a difference. The medical field is really diverse and constantly changing with health care advances. For example, nurse practitioners provide medical care in large and small hospitals, urban and rural settings, community health centers, pharmaceutical companies, and, of course, schoolbased clinics!