Kim Newlin, RN, CNS, NP-C is a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist and adult nurse practitioner at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville, California. As a daughter of a researcher in cardiovascular disease prevention and member of an active family, she makes healthy living a priority in her life, as well as the lives of her patients.

“It’s important for nurses to set the standard and be good role models for the patients we see,” says Newlin. “It makes patient education easier when you can speak about it from a personal level. I talk to patients about what I do to be active, so they can relate to me.”

As a nurse practitioner in a primary care setting, Kim Newlin also sees first-hand how important it is for all health care providers, no matter their discipline, to be advocates for prevention.

“Whether a patient comes in to see me for a check-up, or if they’re coming in for a cold, there’s an opportunity to talk about what they can be doing to improve their lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or exercising more,” says Newlin. “When you think about how many nurses there are and how many patient interactions they have, we have so many opportunities to interject the importance of heart disease prevention.”