Whether it’s our parents, grandparents, or other loved ones, serious illness is one of life’s most difficult seasons. In those moments, what families hope for most is compassionate, attentive, and dignified care.
That’s where critical care professionals make all the difference. They don’t just manage complex medical conditions; they restore comfort, understanding, and peace of mind for patients and families.
At Nellis Air Force Base, Critical Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) Sook Owen lived out that mission every day. For her, care went beyond treatment. It was about empowering patients to understand their conditions, take charge of their health, and find confidence in their care during their most challenging times.
Through her compassion and dedication, Sook helped patients face serious illness with clarity, dignity, and hope.
Where Skill Meets Compassion: The Value of Critical Care Work
An estimated 90 million Americans are living with serious illness, a number projected to more than double in the next 25 years as the baby boomer generation ages.¹ In this landscape, the work of critical care professionals continues to be essential, not just for survival, but for improving the quality of life itself.
Critical care nursing balances clinical precision with human empathy, and every decision carries both technical and emotional weight.
These professionals make a difference in countless ways:
- Managing complex conditions: From advanced heart disease to multi-organ failure, they monitor and guide patients through the most critical moments of care.
- Supporting families: Serious illness affects entire households, and critical care clinicians provide understanding, education, and comfort through every stage of uncertainty.
- Preserving dignity: Beyond the medical charts, they offer reassurance and respect, ensuring that patients never feel reduced to their diagnoses.
At its heart, critical care is about more than treatment. It’s about humanity.
Sook Owen’s Empowering Approach to Care
At Nellis Air Force Base, Sook Owen worked in the Critical Care Unit, caring for patients whose conditions demanded constant vigilance and compassion.
What distinguished her was not only her medical expertise but also her approach. To her, effective care meant working with patients, not just for them.
“My goal is to help them to help themselves. And no matter how much I do that for them, if they don’t recognize their problem, they don’t know what to do about themselves. It’s no use.”
Education was central to her practice. Sook took time to explain diagnoses, medications, and lifestyle changes so that patients could actively participate in their recovery.
“I will usually approach that way, a lot of education for my patient and what medication they’re taking, why they’re taking, what they need to do, and how they can modify their lifestyles.”
When patients began to understand their care, anxiety turned to awareness and fear gave way to confidence. In those moments, Sook helped them rediscover a sense of control.
“Once they know about their, you know, what they need to do… they really listen.”
Through every interaction, Sook helped her patients find empowerment and dignity, even in the most difficult stages of illness.
From RN to NP: A Mission to Do More
Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Sook spent years as a critical care RN, caring for patients facing end-stage conditions like heart or kidney failure. Over time, she realized she wanted to do more, to have greater influence in her patients’ care and outcomes.
“I said I’m going to help these people. That’s why I continued as a nurse practitioner. I see that I could help them, and I feel better when I see them improve.”
Transitioning from RN to NP gave her the opportunity to expand her reach. As a nurse practitioner, she could diagnose, prescribe, and guide treatment decisions, deepening the trust and continuity she built with patients.
Matrix Providers: The Support Behind the Mission
The work of a critical care NP could be demanding, but Sook did not do it alone. Behind her was Matrix Providers, a partner that ensured she could focus on what mattered most, her patients.
“Matrix Providers is a wonderful company, very reputable. So far, they’ve been great. They always reach out to me.”
That consistent support gave her stability and confidence, allowing her to pour her energy into patient care.
“I recommend Matrix to all healthcare providers because this is a good, reputable company. It has strong benefits, and I think you will enjoy it.”
Through Matrix, Sook found a workplace that valued excellence, compassion, and mission, values that mirrored her own.
Find your critical mission with Matrix Providers
If you’re a healthcare professional who believes in compassionate, high-impact care, Sook’s story is a reminder that your work can change lives.
Matrix Providers connects clinicians like Sook with federal healthcare opportunities across the nation, from critical care to primary care and beyond. With the right support, you can focus on what truly matters, your patients.
Explore current openings and discover how Matrix Providers can help you serve with purpose and make every shift count.
Reference:
- Center to Advance Palliative Care. Palliative Care Facts and Stats. CAPC, 2021, https://media.capc.org/filer_public/68/bc/68bc93c7-14ad-4741-9830-8691729618d0/capc_press-kit.pdf.