Upholding the Highest Standard of Care: Sheri Skalsky

By OBOS — May 2, 2009

From 2009 – 2011, Our Bodies Ourselves honored the work of women’s health advocates worldwide by asking readers to nominate their favorite women’s health hero. View all nominees by year: 2009, 2010, 2011

Entrant: Jalyssa Skalsky

Nominee: Sheri Skalsky, Women’s Health Nurse Practioner

Note: Sheri received two nominations at the same time from two different people. Both are included in this post.

sheriWhat does a Health Care Hero mean to most?  To me, it means someone who most of all puts her patient’s feelings ahead of her own, makes her patients feel comfortable every step of the way, is an advocate for women all over the country, and encourages women to uphold the highest standard of health care available.  I believe Sheri Skalsky does all of these things with a passion every day of her life.

Sheri is a fantastic wife, and the mother of two children, I being one of them, who she has raised most of the time while furthering her education.  She grew up in eastern North Dakota where she developed a passion for health care.  She started out her career as an RN mainly focusing her ten years of experience in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department as a labor and delivery nurse.  From there, she decided she wanted to further her education in order to help more women.  She received her Master’s Degree from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis online while tending to her teenage children’s constant needs, as well as maintaining her full-time position as a labor and delivery nurse.  She then accepted a position where she now works as a nurse practitioner for Great Plains Women’s Health Center in Williston, North Dakota.

I may be slightly biased as her daughter, but I think her achievements as a health care professional speak for themselves.  She is not only a wonderful mother, but I can tell you since I’ve worked beside her, she is a wonderful provider.  From the time I was very young she has made me comfortable talking about health care issues and even going as far as talking to my girlfriends as well.  She was able to convey messages that have stuck to all of us as we grew about being healthy women.  She has even inspired my career in medicine because she has been such a good role model.

I believe Sheri Skalsky should be your chosen Health Care Hero, because she is a fabulous provider who cares deeply about the needs of her patients, and women in general.  She has been an advocate to the care of women her entire life, and has truly been a role model to all she has come in contact with.  She has worked extremely hard and dedicated her life to her children and her career and is constantly trying to improve and better her patient care.  She is the best mother a daughter could ask for, and the best role model anyone could ask for, and I truly believe she is the definition of a Health Care Hero.

Second Nomination

Entrant: Rebecca Parker

Sheri Skalsky, WHNP-C, is the true definition of a Health Care Hero. She is not only a wonderful mother and wife; she is also the most amazing provider a patient could ask for. She has been an advocate of women’s health care her entire life, and has dedicated most of her time and energy bettering the lives of women, while maintaining time for her friends, family, and community.

Sheri grew up in eastern North Dakota where she developed her passion for health care. She and her husband Dave made their life here where he tended a farm and she worked at a clinic. She attended college while raising her lovely children and received her RN, which she put to work in as a Labor and Delivery nurse at a hospital in western North Dakota. She put in ten years of experience here, helping women through the difficult task of childbirth, often working nights so she could spend more time with her children.  She even furthered her education becoming a Lamaze teacher, helping women with all facets of the birthing process. She decided, however, she wanted to do more.  She obtained her Master’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis online while attending to the needs of her teenagers and continuing to maintain her full time position as an L&D nurse, which are each full-time positions in and of themselves.  She has always remained a dedicated wife and mother, as well as a hardworking member of her community, despite the hardships of higher education.

After completing her Masters, she obtained a position and Great Plains Women’s Health Center, where she now works as a WHNP-C. She works extremely hard for her patients there, often working after hours and constantly updating her knowledge and education by attending conventions and classes. She recently took a side job working for the Upper Missouri Health unit, which provides lower cost care to the community where she provides women’s health care. She has an excellent repertoire dealing with younger women, who are often afraid to take care of issues of their health care and sexual health. As a friend of her daughters, I can tell you she frequently spoke with us about health issues most parents would be too afraid of, and it really stuck with all of us.  She was also a huge role model for her daughter, helping shape her future career. She was never afraid and always made us feel comfortable coming to her with any concerns.

Sheri Skalsky, WHNP-C is the true definition of a Health Care Hero. She is extremely dedicated to her patients and their well-being, as well as her family and community. She is passionate about the health of women and the advancement of this science, and dedicates her life to the study and advancement of it. She is a wonderful role model, wife, and mother, and is a true health care hero in her community.

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