Kelly Stepanek, ACNP-BC, specializes in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal and enjoys mentoring and teaching APP students. She has dedicated 15 years to the Division of Hospital Medicine and has helped shape the APP role. Kelly is a baseball/soccer mom and loves cheese!
What is your role in the Department and what patients do you serve?
I am a hospitalist Nurse Practitioner, rounding daily on medicine pt on the hospitalist service.
Where are you from?
I’m from the suburbs of Chicago.
Did you always envision yourself as an APP?
I always knew I wanted to get a graduate degree. My parents were both the first in their families to go to college, and both ended up getting their masters, so I, and my 2 siblings all went to graduate school. It was working in the ICU that solidified my career choice.
What is the most rewarding part of your work?
I love that every day is different. You never know what the day will hold, which can be challenging, but it keeps me on my toes. Complacency is thy enemy!
How has your role evolved over time since you’ve been here?
I have been with the hospitalist group almost since it’s inception. Over my 15 years with the division, APP’s have largely played the same role. As with most things, COVID came along, and forced us to become more independent.
What is one thing that you wish people knew about your job?
There are 2 branches of the hospitalist tree! One is the MD team and the other is the APP team. (I know the tree system is crazy, but you work with what you got!)
Personally or professionally, what are you most proud of?
I am proud of how I’ve helped shaped the APP role within my division. In my 15 years, we’ve gone from 2 APPs to 7 daytime APPs and 3 night APPs.
If you didn’t have a career in medicine, what would you be doing?
Talk show/podcast. I talk A LOT and have a A LOT of opinions!
What hobbies do you enjoy outside of work?
I run, I read, but mostly, I can be found at the baseball field or the soccer field with one of my children. I’m a baseball mom/soccer mom
If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Cheese!
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
You are confined only by the walls you build yourself. Dream big
What’s the last song you listened to?
Wrecking Ball, Miley Cyrus