Alva Review-Courier -

Jennifer Nichols, APRN, joined the staff at Share Medical Center in September after being recruited from Enid by Alva's newest physician, Michael Lawrence, DO, who started his practice in Alva in the middle of August 2016.

Nichols is to serve in the urgent care facility at the main hospital. However, she comes to Alva with rave reviews on her handling of women's health issues, so the hospital is providing her own clinic space so that she might develop a private practice.

Nichols said, "I am a family practice provider, so I can see anyone, but my passion is women's health. I love to see women from teenagers to those past menopause. I'm hoping that I can help a lot of college students by expanding the women's health arena in Alva. There are a lot of college students who are away from their doctor at home. Probably a pediatrician was their last doctor, and now all of sudden they are in a new town, away from home, and they have no provider to go to. I'm hoping I can bridge that gap while they are here during the school year."

Nichols, an Enid Public Schools graduate, headed off to OSU to become a veterinarian. After being diagnosed with a heart murmur at age 19, and going through open-heart surgery herself, she said, "That is where the medical side of me began to shine through. I decided I'd rather take care of people instead of animals."

She is married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two kids: one at ten months and the other six years. He works in the IT department at St. Mary's Hospital and the two are engrossed in restoring their 105-year-old historic home in Enid. There are no hobbies other than occasionally spending time with friends on some of the Oklahoma lakes.

Since her husband, kids, and do-it-yourself house are all in Enid, we asked, "How long do you think you'll be around?" Nichols replied, "Actually, it's been working out quite well. The commute isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Dr. Lawrence told me what a wonderful hospital this is so I'm thinking this is going to be a long term commitment."

We asked her, "Since Urgent Care patients and your private practice patients will come in the same door at the hospital, how do they know how to do urgent care or how to consult with your private clinic?" Nichols (who prefers patients to address her as "Jennifer"), replied, "The patient will just have to specify. I'm going to be there Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no breaks for lunch."

She is available both for appointments and drop-in patients. Nichols explained that if the client already has a primary care provider, then it is likely they will want urgent care services. If they are in between primary care physicians, then they might want to see her.