Kelly Van Wyck, DNP

Kelly Van Wyck Invests Time in Her Patients’ Well-being

“When we encourage ourselves to pursue wellness instead of only responding to illness, we lead healthier, more peaceful, more fulfilling lives.”

It was an experience volunteering in Haiti that revealed Kelly’s true calling. “I was working as a teacher in the village school,” she says. “People assumed that, as an American, I had access to healthcare and they started bringing me their sick children. I had no training and couldn’t help. One evening, a friend showed up on our doorstep with his infant son, near death. My mother, a nurse, happened to be visiting. She intervened, and saved the baby’s life.” Inspired and determined, Kelly enrolled in a nursing program as soon as she returned home.

Kelly has since made annual trips to Haiti, where she has served as a nurse and translator with teams of medical, dental, and nursing personnel. “I’m inspired by the Haitian people and their incredible bravery despite difficult circumstances. It recalibrates me every time I go down there.”

Back in New Jersey, she worked for several years as an emergency room nurse; however, she quickly realized that she wanted to further her education. She earned her doctorate in 2017, and joined Vanguard shortly thereafter.

“I hope to inspire my patients to pursue wellness in body and mind,” she says. “I find that people often visit their healthcare provider reactively, because of illness. If I can help people to be proactive, and to pursue a healthier lifestyle, they may discover a more peaceful, more joyful, and ultimately more fulfilling life.”

When she’s not working, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her husband and two young children. She also enjoys hiking, photography, and traveling.