A heart dedicated to cardiology

For Kim Shelton, NP, nursing is more than just a career—it’s her lifelong calling.

When asked what she finds most rewarding about her job, the Bloomington Advanced Heart Care Clinic team member says, “Taking care of people and being there for them during the worst times in their life.”

Shelton has known she was going to be a nurse for as long as she can remember, and her dedication was reinforced when, at age 15, she visited her grandfather at the legacy Bloomington hospital after he had a heart attack. She said she had a feeling she would work there one day, and that proved to be true, as she went on to spend 32 years as a registered nurse at the hospital.

During this time, Shelton developed a strong passion for and foundation in cardiovascular care, and has been part of the cardiovascular unit since it opened.

In 2014, after over three decades as a registered nurse, she decided to return to school to become a nurse practitioner so she could play a more active role in patient care and have more autonomy in making the best decisions for her patients.

Her time as a nurse practitioner student took her to Evansville, where she gained valuable experience working with hospitalists. But the pull of cardiology and her IU Health family never left.

When the opportunity arose for her to return to her original cardiology team, it was a “no-brainer” for her.

Now back in Bloomington, Shelton is part of the Advanced Heart Care Clinic, a team she describes as “thorough, caring, very collaborative and very supportive.” She’s proud to work alongside colleagues who share her commitment to patient-centered care.

She also loves helping young nurses grow into confident, skilled nurses and being a support system for them. Seeing the young nurses she’s trained in various areas of the hospital “flying off on their own” is something she values deeply.

“Coming in and training the new nurses, being teachers to them and basically being their work mom—that’s one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” says Shelton.

Whether she’s comforting a patient or guiding a new nurse, Shelton brings compassion, wisdom and dedication to everything she does.