Kara Palmer knew nursing was her calling as early as high school after volunteering in an emergency room. Although the position was pretty intense for a teenager, Kara loved interacting with the children that came into the ER and saw her mission through their eyes and promptly pursued nursing upon graduation.
Growing up in Houston, Kara had her heart set on working for Texas Children’s when she graduated from nursing school. However, upon entering her professional career, she and her husband moved to the Austin area.
“I thought that dream of working for Texas Children’s would never come true after we moved,” said Kara. “But lo and behold, Texas Children’s followed me!”
When Texas Children’s Urgent Care at Westgate opened in 2018, Kara quickly applied and has been working at that location ever since. Now with 12 years of nursing experience under her belt, three of those years with Texas Children’s, Kara walks us through her experience as a nurse in urgent care and her commitment to a better Tomorrow, Together.
What is your day-to-day like in your current role?
Working as a registered nurse in urgent care, I spend time caring for pediatric patients. Swabbing for illness, x-raying injured extremities, and giving medications are some of my daily tasks. I also handle patient callbacks with results and handle any necessary patient complaints.
What is your favorite part of the role?
My favorite part of this job is interacting with the patients and their families and trying my best to make their day better.
What do people not know/realize about your job?
How many sick kids we can see in a shift! It can be overwhelming at times but it is all worth it in the end to see those smiling faces heal and the relief in a parent’s face.
Our core values are embracing freedom, leading tirelessly, living compassionately and amplifying unity. Which one of these values do you most identify with? And why?
Living compassionately. I devote 110% to my job and my coworkers. After all, I cannot provide the exceptional care alone!
What has been the most challenging part of your career so far?
Handling patient complaints. I try my hardest every time I come into work but sometimes you can’t please everyone. The key is to not take things too personally and pivot to a new strategy if something isn’t working.
Tomorrow, Together represents Texas Children’s commitment to creating a bright future for our employees and our mission. What is your commitment for the future?
I am so excited for Texas Children’s future in Austin! Our first hospital opens in 2024 and I cannot wait to see the Austin and surrounding areas further served by this amazing company.
Outside of work, Kara enjoys kickboxing, park exploring and continuously searching for the best cup of hill country coffee with her best friend, Peanut, the weenie dog. As far as what’s next for Kara, she says she is committed to Texas Children’s and was even recently promoted to supervisor of the Westgate Urgent Care Center in Austin. With the wild expansion of Texas Children’s in the Austin area, Kara is an example that anything is possible.
Texas Children’s is expanding and we are looking to grow our team with more dedicated members like Kara. If you are interested in a career that not only helps your community but also benefits yourself, search our open positions and apply today.
