Meet Amanda Ferguson | Nurse Practitioner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Ferguson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I think work life balance is constantly changing. When I first became a nurse I felt like my work life balance was great working three days a week, 12-hour shifts. I had time to go to the gym, cook, and craft. Then, I had a baby and started working on my Master’s Degree so my work life balance shifted. I still loved my job, but I couldn’t wait to get home to my family. I felt like I was adjusting to my new responsibilities of being a mom when my husband passed away suddenly. My daughter was 4 months old and I felt that my work life balance was thrown into complete upheaval. It has continued to be a struggle to maintain that balance. Some days it feels like I have figured out a good balance and others it feels impossible. Starting a business in the past couple years has me working crazy hours and a lot of times I feel that I don’t have the a good handle on my work life balance . My goal is to eventually work less and have the flexibility to attend most of my daughter’s activities while being able to travel and maintain a career that I care about.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I visited my great grandparents in skilled nursing facilities starting at birth. It came very naturally to me to care for the residents at the facilities and listen to their stories. My grandma told me I should be a nurse since the age of 5 but I decided to start in engineering my freshman year in college. I realized that I wanted to be a nurse my sophomore year of college and I became a certified nursing assistant at a memory care and rehab facility. I was accepted into the accelerated nursing program at Creighton University in 2012 with my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. I worked on a general medical/acute care for elders floor for over 4 years while I completed my Master’s in Science in Nursing. I became a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2016 and took the first job that I found at an urology practice. I never could have guessed all the opportunities it would bring me or how much I would enjoy working in the urology field. I moved to Colorado in 2018 and took another job in urology while broadening my focus to radiation oncology and advanced prostate cancer. I now work at an oncology/hematology practice and it is extremely challenging some days but I love how much I continue to learn. I think one of the most difficult parts of my career so far has been being on a schedule that books out about 3 months at a time. Historically, I found it difficult to take off work when my daughter had an event at school if it was announced only a few weeks in advance. I felt guilty rescheduling patients but I also felt guilty if I missed any of my daughter’s events. I learned at my last job that no job is worth sacrificing your mental health over, sometimes the grass is greener, and family is the most important. I started Onyx Med Spa out of frustration of not wanting to work for a company that did not align with my goals and values and especially did not appreciate the skills that I brought to the table. My vision for Onyx Med Spa is for it to continue to grow and be able to support my family so we can enjoy the things we love and spend time together. I love caring for patients, but want to do it in an environment where there is a mutual respect for employees and owner. I enjoy teaching and mentoring because I know how important it is to have a mentor. The healthcare field is difficult enough, we need to help each other succeed to keep good people in the field and to give patients the care they deserve.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would love to take my best friend for dinner at El Five and then to Little Man Ice Cream. I would also love to take her to explore Rino Art District and some breweries including Blind Tiger by Hooch Booch, I love to take friends to Williams and Graham for the amazing speakeasy vibes, Forest Room 5, Stoney’s, Burndown, Recess, Avanti, and Linger. Meow Wolf is always a good time as well, which I think she would enjoy. The Denver Botanic Gardens are so beautiful, especially for the Christmas lights. I’d love to take her to a Rockies games at Coors Field as well and then Red Rocks for a concert or Yoga on the Rocks. Pearl Street in Boulder is an experience that everyone should experience at least once. There are so many things to see and do in Colorado. Estes Park is my personal favorite followed closely by Breckenridge.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my grandfather, Tom. I call him Papa. He has always been an inspiration to me because of how he treats others and his work ethic. I saw him run a successful business with integrity. I always admired the respect with which he treated his employees and the loyalty they gave him. He taught me to play poker, played catch with me and went to my sports games, taught me to drive, took me to the College World Series, and always supported me. He rarely raises his voice, continues to model how a spouse should be treated, and loves his family unconditionally. My daughter, Jenna, is my other inspiration because she keeps me going. She makes me want to work harder to give her the best life I can. Lastly, to my late husband, Mark, who always supported me and encouraged me.

Website: https://onyxmedspacolorado.com

Instagram: https://onyx.med.spa

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/amanda-ferguson-205623146

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/cb7DJWDjUkVqhPb6/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
@breeclaire.photography
@tinydragonphotography