Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Brown.
Hi Rachel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Alexandria, VA with a single mom raising two daughters. I saw first-hand what hard work truly is as she progressed in her profession from teacher to school principal while raising us on her own. I believe my strong work ethic developed in this way. Although my mother and the majority of my family were educators, I went into healthcare so I could combine my love of science with my desire to help others. I received my bachelor’s in science from Howard University and spent two years at Howard University Hospital, first as a medical-surgical nurse, then as an intensive care nurse. Since I’ve always had a taste for adventure, I then hit the road as a critical care travel nurse, with stints at top institutions like UCLA and USC Keck in Los Angeles and Emory Hospital in Atlanta, before putting down roots in Houston.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
After Hurricane Harvey, I thought that nothing could faze me. Then came COVID. The truth is, nothing could have prepared me for the early days of the pandemic.
I joined the crisis response team and was deployed to several understaffed hospitals. It was heartbreaking in a way words can’t describe. Hospital facilities that were falling apart at the seams and I found myself having to pull favors from other places to access basic medical supplies. Working in scorching hot conditions with zero air conditioning was yet another challenge!
Nurses came together from all over the country, united by duty and compassion. We sweated through our bunny suits as we cooled down fevered patients with ice packs. But nothing was going to stop us. Not the long days and nights. Not the language barriers. Not even the fears for our families and ourselves. While doctors were consulting via iPads from a safe distance, we were in the rooms with the patients, administering their treatments, holding their hands, and facing the terrifying circumstances together. It was a life-changing experience. I still have close relationships with many of the patients I was able to help.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I just launched an integrative medicine and aesthetics practice here in Houston. My approach to wellness looks at the “big picture” rather than just treating the symptoms of their specific issue. People come to me for many reasons: weight loss, hormone optimization, body slimming procedures, vitamin infusions/shots, wellness visits, and aesthetic treatments. I tailor treatments for each patient to get them feeling and looking their best.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learned the importance of community, unity, and so much more about my own perseverance and strength. If I can get through that, I can get through anything.
I also learned that health is everything! That’s what inspired my pivot into integrative medicine, the desire to help people not just survive but thrive.
Contact Info:
- Website: rachelbrownnp.com
- Instagram: @rachelbrownnp
