Her Story
About Heather
Heather Flowers is a cardiovascular healthcare professional and Senior Abstractor specializing in cardiogenic shock registry data. She began her nursing career in 2011 after earning an Associate Degree in Nursing from Tennessee State University. Over the course of more than a decade in healthcare, she developed extensive experience across multiple cardiovascular settings, including the cardiac catheterization laboratory, cardiovascular operating room (CVOR), cardiovascular research, and clinical data abstraction.
Flowers spent approximately 12 to 13 years at TriStar Centennial Medical Center, where she expanded her expertise across cardiac care, research, and cardiovascular data management. Her background includes cardiovascular research through the Sarah Cannon Research Institute as well as cardiovascular data abstraction for the hospital. In her current work, she focuses on cardiogenic shock registry data and the accuracy and methodology required for effective clinical abstraction.
Her commitment to nursing is deeply personal. Her daughter’s congenital heart condition inspired her to enter cardiac nursing and has remained a source of motivation throughout her career. Beyond healthcare, Flowers has demonstrated a strong commitment to her community through board service with the Sumner County Museum, Sumner County Historical Society, and Arts Council. She also has a lifelong passion for art, including sketching, painting, and pottery, and values family, communication, trust, and integrity.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heather
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my daughter and my love for her. After she was born with two holes in her heart, I was determined to learn how to care for her as well as I could. Her experience inspired me to become a cardiac nurse and has continued to motivate me throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I have received is to trust my gut instincts and to know when to stop talking and listen to the advice and perspectives of my peers. I believe being willing to listen and learn from others has helped me make better decisions throughout my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering nursing to give themselves grace. Nursing can be difficult, but it is also incredibly rewarding, and there are many different paths available. I encourage nurses to explore the opportunities that best fit their strengths and goals, whether that means working from home, in a physician's office, in a hospital, or pursuing travel nursing.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my current role is learning new electronic medical record (EMR) systems and understanding the methodology used for data abstraction. However, having a structured three-month training period has been extremely valuable. It provides the time and support needed to understand the system properly and perform the work accurately and confidently.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are family, close relationships, communication, trust, and integrity. I also believe in recognizing my own self-worth, taking pride in what I produce, owning who I am, and consistently striving to show that I am a good person in both my professional and personal life.
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