Carolyn A Nelson, APN

As a palliative care advanced practice nurse, Carolyn Nelson manages care for patients living with serious illness, transitioning from the hospital to skilled nursing facilities. She brings 20 years of combined nursing experience to the role, 10 as a nurse practitioner and 10 as a bedside RN.
“I want to maximize each patient’s quality of life and keep them from going back into the hospital. I do the detective work needed to see the big picture and manage their care. My husband is a detective. I tell him all the time that I do just as much detective work as he does,” she says.
Carolyn is board-certified as an Adult Nurse Practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She earned her master’s in nursing from Richard Stockton University, Galloway and her bachelor’s from Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, N.J.
She began her career as a travel nurse and visited 44 states over five years. She also volunteered as a humanitarian aide both in the U.S. and in the Dominican Republic and Thailand.
She then settled into nursing in a variety of settings. Palliative care went on her radar at the end of her stepfather’s life. She stepped in and put all her knowledge and experience to work to manage his care and keep him comfortable at home. “I worked in labor and delivery for a few years. It reminded me of that, helping him navigate a scary and intimate part of life. It was an honor,” she says.
Part of the AtlantiCare family since 2013, she speaks highly of her colleagues. “The way they share experience and training is priceless. AtlantiCare provides all the resources and support you need to do your best,” she says.