Her Story
About Rachel
Rachel Jensen is a dedicated healthcare professional and Stroke Coordinator at Kaiser Permanente, where she oversees stroke care initiatives across the Fontana and Ontario medical centers. With a healthcare career that began in 2011 as an emergency medical services provider, Rachel progressed into emergency nursing and developed extensive clinical experience across emergency medicine, critical care, rehabilitation, oncology, obstetrics, pediatrics, community health, and mental health. Her clinical background has provided a strong foundation for her current work in healthcare quality, patient advocacy, clinical data analysis, and stroke program coordination.
Rachel’s career at Kaiser Permanente has included serving as an emergency room nurse and charge nurse before advancing to Assistant Department Administrator for Neurosurgery. She ultimately transitioned into the Quality Department, where she now coordinates the stroke program for two hospitals caring for approximately 2,500 stroke patients each year. Her responsibilities include analyzing clinical data, auditing patient charts, monitoring patient care from emergency arrival through discharge, educating nurses, conducting community outreach, and collaborating with emergency medicine, nursing, physical therapy, radiology, and other healthcare teams. Her commitment to education is also reflected in her work as a clinical instructor for Azusa Pacific University and her continued development in nursing education.
A strong advocate for compassionate, patient-centered care, Rachel believes meaningful impact often comes through seemingly small acts of support, advocacy, and kindness. Her dedication to helping patients navigate complex healthcare situations has remained a defining part of her professional journey. She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and was inducted into the Alpha Chi and Sigma nursing honor societies, while continuing her education in nursing education at Azusa Pacific University. Guided by compassion, perseverance, continuous growth, and patient advocacy, Rachel remains committed to advancing stroke care, supporting fellow healthcare professionals, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of the patients and communities she serves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Rachel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance, self-belief, openness to new opportunities, and a commitment to continuous learning. I have challenged myself to step beyond familiar areas of nursing, embrace new roles, and continually develop my skills.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received has come from mentors like Wendy Schmidt at Kaiser Fontana and Robin Shaw in my current stroke program role. Their guidance and example have helped me navigate different stages of my career while continuing to grow as a healthcare professional and leader.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women to recognize opportunities, believe in their abilities, and stay open to learning from those around them. Inspiration can come from anyone who is willing to grow, take chances, and persevere. Most importantly, maintain confidence and resilience, even when your career path takes unexpected turns.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Healthcare is evolving rapidly, requiring nurses to stay current with clinical standards, regulations, technology, data, and patient care. I see tremendous opportunities to expand beyond traditional bedside roles into education, program management, quality improvement, administration, and leadership. My own career has shown me how nursing experience can open doors to diverse professional pathways.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value compassion, perseverance, continuous growth, patient advocacy, kindness, and making a meaningful difference in others’ lives. Nursing has taught me that even small acts of listening, helping, and advocating can have a lasting impact. Outside of work, I’m passionate about travel and experiencing different cultures through local food, language, and traditions.
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