Meet Brittany Hanks, our April Nurse of the Month! Look closely at her photos – you might recognize her from nights moonlighting as a “ninja.”
Hi Brittany, thanks for speaking with us. How did you get into nursing?
I was studying biomedical science; I was thinking about becoming a doctor and going to medical school. But I took a step back. I knew physicians didn’t get to spend much time with patients and spending time with patients is what I love. I thought nursing would be an avenue to get to know them on a more internal level. So I earned a second Bachelor’s degree in Nursing in 2021.
How did you end up working with Tribal Health?
I was finishing up my residency in an ER in Fort Worth and I knew I wanted to do something more. So I looked for more travel contracts and I connected with Jackie* – she’s awesome – and I thought how neat that would that be, working on the reservation. The thought of branching out and learning about a new culture really interested me.
What’s your favorite part of working on Tribal lands?
Getting to know a different culture. You learn so many differences, like that some people don’t have running water or electricity – things we take for granted. It’s an awakening.
And there’s working with my core crew! They have a piece of my heart for sure.
What’s your advice to nurses new to Tribal lands?
Don’t be scared to take chances. Go out and do new experiences and be uncomfortable. My best advice is that once you get comfortable, you stop growing. If you’re uncomfortable, you’re going to grow.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I am a huge fitness enthusiast. I travel around the country on occasion with my husband; we met when we competed together on American Ninja Warrior, which I did for 4 years. My husband competed for 1 year. I made it all the way to Vegas and ate it on the second obstacle, haha.
Today my husband builds, tests and designs the obstacles; I love healthcare too much to leave, but the show still flies me out to test obstacles because I’m one of the shortest women they have – so if I can do those obstacles, they know the taller men can!
That sounds amazing! What are your plans for the future?
I’d like to be an advanced practice provider, maybe a Physicians Assistant. I have a greater calling to do more – and the higher level care I can give, the better.
Thank you, Brittany!
