Dr. Ashley Edwards Tippins

I attribute my success to always being willing to learn and never stopping or quitting. I never think I know it all - I'm always open to learning and continuing to educate myself. Growing up poor as the oldest of four children with a single mother, I had no choice but to push forward. My grandmother, who was a CNA for over 50 years helping take care of the geriatric population as a CNA and private sitter, inspired me, along with my dad who was a disabled veteran and encouraged me to go to college. Being the only high school and college graduate out of my siblings on my mother side drove me to keep going. Even when I faced major obstacles like being a single mother, figuring out how to pay tuition out of pocket, working one or two jobs, going over 24 hours without sleep, doing clinicals, and nearly not being able to finish my doctorate during COVID in rural southern Alabama. I pushed myself to achieve things I never imagined, like getting a doctorate and being published in an article. At the end, all those challenges brought rewards.

The best career advice I've ever received is to always be willing to learn and don't stop, don't quit. Never think you know it all - always be open to learning and continue to educate yourself. This advice has definitely taken me far in my career.

The biggest challenges and opportunities I see right now are the shortage of physicians and providers in rural areas, which is what led me to my hospitalist role. There's also a critical shortage of registered nurses, and the numbers have dropped significantly with students passing the national boards, the NCLEX. During COVID, I saw there was a shortage of mental health providers, and people were suffering, especially in nursing homes where I was working - we could not find anyone to come in and manage these individuals. That's why I went back and got my mental health nurse practitioner certification, and it's also why I started Edwards' Registered Nurse Review Courses, L.L.C. to educate students on how to pass boards. This is one of my areas - influencing others to continue their career path and meet whatever goals they want to achieve.