Balancing shifts, school and family: A nurse’s next chapter

At just 19 years old, Erica Lapinsky began her career at AdventHealth as a registered nurse. That first role set her on a path,

eventually leading to her position today as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), part of a group of highly trained clinicians known as advanced practice providers (APPs).

For Lapinsky, her path from registered nurse to APRN took time and persistence.

To reach her goal, she went back to school while raising her children and working night shifts. AdventHealth’s education benefits helped cover some of the cost, but it was the people around her who kept her going: the coworkers who shared advice, leaders who adjusted schedules and mentors who guided her through clinical rotations.

“There were nights I came home from a shift, helped with homework, and then opened my laptop for my own assignments,” she said. “It was exhausting at times, but I wanted my kids to see that if you work hard, new doors can open.”

Today, Lapinsky calls it a privilege to walk alongside patients on some of their hardest days. She remembers small moments that stayed with her – an unsteady first walk, a family’s relieved smile, or a patient who cracked a joke after a difficult night.

“Every patient teaches you something,” she said. “Sometimes it’s medicine. Sometimes it’s perseverance. Sometimes it’s simply how to be present.”

Her decision to become an APP could have taken her away from the place where she started. Instead, she chose to stay with the organization and is now a neuro-hospitalist APRN at AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Familiar colleagues, a team that cheered her on, and the opportunity to grow in her career all convinced her this was the right place to keep building her future.

“Moving into advanced practice didn’t mean starting over,” she said. “It meant building on everything I had already learned here: how to read a room, how to support a family and how to work together when the pressure is high.”

Across the country, demand for APPs is growing rapidly. In Florida, the urgency is even greater, with a projected shortage of nearly 18,000 physicians by 2035. APPs will play a crucial role in filling that gap and keeping care accessible.

“In a state facing significant physician shortages, our physicians and APPs each play vital roles,” said Dr. Darin Jordan, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Medical Group. “APPs make a real difference in patient access and quality of care, and together with our physicians, they help us deliver exceptional, whole-person care.”

AdventHealth’s East Florida Division is also expanding quickly, opening new access points and welcoming more clinicians in Flagler, Lake, and Volusia counties. That pace of growth makes retaining homegrown talent even more important.

“We’re proud to invest in our APPs, not just when they request tuition support, but by creating pathways for them to grow their careers with us,” said Michele Goeb-Burkett, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for the East Florida Division. “This is about building long-term connections, so we can meet patient needs while helping team members reach their full potential.”

For Lapinsky, that support came together at the right time. A charge nurse who nudged her to apply. A preceptor who welcomed her questions. A manager who shifted her schedule during finals week. None of it made the work easy, but it made it possible.

Now, when new nurses ask how she did it, she keeps her advice simple: talk with your leader, find a mentor you trust, and look for a role that lets you keep learning.

Looking for a career in health care? AdventHealth’s Academic Clinical Resource Page connects students and professionals to clinical placements that open doors to tomorrow’s opportunities.