Alyssa Small, FNP-C

Alyssa Small became a Family Nurse Practitioner because she has a desire to help people be healthy, a big part of which can include taking steps to prevent illnesses before they begin.

“I have three goals as a health care provider,” she says. “First, to prevent illness; second, to catch illness early; and third, to help restore health and quality of life when illness is unavoidable.”

Her first job as an ICU nurse helped give her a strong focus on preventative medicine. “I took care of a lot of very sick people who had illnesses that were largely preventable,” she says. “They would tell me how they wished they would have taken better care of themselves early on, and it made me want to help people prevent that by motivating and educating them as their primary care provider throughout their life.”

Alyssa strongly recommends age-specific screenings to find health conditions in the earliest stages.

Education and Experience

Alyssa calls herself a “born and raised Hoosier,” having grown up in Indiana where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Indiana University Kokomo. She graduated summa cum laude and was a member of Sigma Theta Tau honor society of nursing.

Alyssa spent two years in Indiana as a Family Nurse Practitioner at a family medicine clinic. Prior to that, she worked as a registered nurse in ICU, family birthing center and geriatrics. She is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

She believes in giving back and for three years volunteered her services at a free clinic serving uninsured and under-insured patients. She also supports refugee organizations and Humane Societies.

Philosophy of Care

Alyssa sees the benefits of focusing on the patient and their needs. “I love being able to be a part of someone’s journey in this life, to help them reach their goals and offer guidance and encouragement when needed,” she says. “What I love about family medicine is being involved in all aspects of my patients’ health and getting to know them as a whole person.”

Alyssa thinks it’s also important to recognize that care plans and expectations can differ because every patient is unique. “My first question is often ‘What would you like to see happen here’ or ‘What are your main goals in seeking care,’” she says. “The best outcome may look different for every patient.”

She is glad to have joined Journey Family Medicine and thinks our approach to patient care sets us apart. “I think Journey Family Medicine has a patient-centered approach to patient care,” she says. “It is staffed with caring and intelligent individuals who truly want the best for each and every patient.”

Fun Facts

Alyssa has varied interests, including gardening, nurturing houseplants, reading and learning. She also considers herself a foodie, enjoys arts and crafts, DIY projects and is a frequent thrifter.

Above all, she loves spending time with her family. They like to go hiking, biking and play outside together, adding, “I try never to take these precious years for granted with my little ones.”