CHRIS NELL-DYBDAHL

When Nancy Brewster continued to have chest pain two years after open-heart surgery, she knew something wasn't right. During a routine visit with nurse practitioner Chris Nell-Dybdahl at the Emory Clinic in Atlanta, Brewster shared her concerns.

"She was far enough out [from the surgery] that she shouldn't have been having these symptoms, so I looked further into her medical history," said Nell-Dybdahl, who works at Emory's preventive and general cardiology clinic.

Nell-Dybdahl, NP-C, MPH, MSN, RN, discovered that Brewster was allergic to nickel, a component in the wires that were used to stitch up Brewster's chest after the surgery.

"It's very rare to have this kind of reaction, but that's what it was," Nell-Dybdahl said. "Ms. Brewster was very anxious about going back to the surgeon, and so I agreed to go with her."

The two sat down ahead of time and made a list of concerns, symptoms and questions. Nell-Dybdahl, 35, cleared her schedule of patients and accompanied Brewster to the doctor.

"I wasn't there to say anything, just to be support for her," Nell-Dybdahl said.

After the visit, the surgeon removed the wires, and Brewster's symptoms were gone. "The chest wall is still strong, so removing them wasn't a threat, but the continued symptoms were affecting Ms. Brewster's quality of life," Nell-Dybdahl said.

For Nell-Dybdahl, the care she provided to Brewster is not unusual.

"I really like to treat patients as if they are my family," she said. "I was concerned about her chest pain and continued quality of life. She was nervous and scared. I was not only her nurse practitioner that day but also her support system."

Brewster likened Nell-Dybdahl's attitude to the medical care she received when she was a youngster.

"Her care reminds me of how it used to be when I was growing up and doctors and nurses treated you on a more personal level," she said. "I am very grateful for Chris."