For Chelsea Goston, being a nurse is more than treating patients; it’s about building close relationships with them and their families and supporting them when they’re most vulnerable.
“Whether it’s educating a patient about their new diagnosis, a new medication, advocating for safety, or simply just being present. To me, those meaningful connections make this work incredibly rewarding.”
Goston makes those meaningful connections by working as a nurse practitioner at Bloom Healthcare. She treats older adults with individualized care at their homes, allowing them to maintain their independence.
Goston graduated from the University of Colorado College of Nursing at Anschutz Medical Campus in 2022 with an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) degree and felt so much support that she wanted to return to earn her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
“I wanted to take the next step in my career and be able to provide the highest level of care to my patients and community,” she says. “I believe there is always room to learn and grow. Having my DNP will allow me to expand my knowledge base, leadership, clinical skills, and clinical judgment to most effectively meet the complex needs of our diverse patient population in Colorado.”
A Family Connection
Goston’s path to nursing started when she was a young girl. Her grandma, affectionately known as Mimi, was a nurse. Goston was “fascinated by her intellectual ability along with her power and control.”
"CU Nursing has expanded my vision of what’s possible and helped me to grow personally and professionally. I am proud to be part of a community that’s advancing healthcare in such powerful and thoughtful ways."
As Goston grew older, she volunteered at hospitals, shadowed nurses, and grew her nursing knowledge through health education programs.
“I quickly learned nursing is as artful as it is science-based, also challenging, compassionate, and dynamic. The complexity, capabilities, and resiliency of the human body captivated me, and I wanted to learn more,” she says.
Making System-Wide Improvements
Goston’s desire to learn more not only inspired her to become a nurse, but it’s also helping her make changes within the healthcare system. Her DNP project, which is required for graduation, addresses hospice care for homebound patients with complex or chronic conditions following a stay in the hospital or ER visit.
She, along with her co-workers at Bloom, used a tool called the Bloom Prognosis Scale to identify conditions that could lead to a higher risk of re-hospitalization and/or mortality for patients.
“The goal was to provide a more proactive, standardized approach to recognizing patients in declining health and to guide timely goals of care conversations,” Goston says. “By embedding this tool into our EMR [electronic medical records], providers were equipped with objective data to help identify when patients might benefit from hospice.”
The project found that more patients would benefit from hospice (admissions increased from 18.5% to 20.3%). And, the Bloom Prognosis Scale was sustainable for staff workflows, making it more impactful for patients and nurses.
“The project enhanced patient autonomy, supported earlier access to hospice care, and contributed to improved quality of life while reducing unnecessary hospitalizations,” she says.
Goston hopes earning her DNP will allow her to continue making system-wide improvements in primary and hospice care.
“Earning a DNP has given me the skills to make data-driven decisions, evaluate interventions, and advocate effectively for positive change in healthcare," she says.
