South County Health is committed to providing exceptional patient care through the dedication and growth of our healthcare professionals. One such professional is Talia Marie Coppola Casci. Talia began her career in our ER and has advanced to become a Nurse Practitioner in Urology. Her journey is a testament to the supportive and collaborative environment at South County Health, where personal and professional aspirations are encouraged and achieved.
Career Path at South County Health
“I started my career here in the ER as an RN. I had been an RN for a year when I began my journey here, so I was still considered a novice RN. After working overnights for 2 years, I switched to day shift and started graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. I was also a co-chair of Nursing Shared Governance Committee during that time. After graduating NP school, I started working as a Nurse Practitioner for SCMG Urology, and that is where I have remained. I also cover the Urology service call for the hospital/inpatients. Over the past 1.5-2 years or so, I have also been a member of the Operations Committee.”
Mentorship and Support along the Way
“I would say since I became an NP, I have considered Dr. Heffernan and Dr. Sarazen as mentors. They supported my learning journey as a new nurse practitioner and continue to do so now. Other supportive people along the way have been my husband, Brendan, and my family.”
Valuable Benefits and Educational Support
“When I was in graduate school, I was able to get financial reimbursement from the hospital. This definitely helped me reach my goal. I was also able to go part time and then per diem in the ER while pursuing my clinical hours. In addition to that, I was able to complete a lot of my clinical time for school within the South County Health system, including rotations in SCMG Primary and Express Care.”
Goals for Continued Growth
“I would eventually like to get my DNP or possibly an advanced nursing degree in leadership.”
Certifications and Experience
“When I was an ER RN, I had my BLS (Basic Life Support), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course), and ENPC (Emergency Nursing Pediatrics Course). My ER experience in general helped me prepare to be not only an NP, but also to work in Urology. In the ER, I was in triage most of the time, which requires quick assessment and planning. I was also exposed to a variety of urologic emergencies.”
Why South County Health?
“I have been at South County Hospital for 8 years now. I think what has really kept me here are the people I work with. I have been lucky enough to always work with a great team of people who share a common goal, great patient care. It certainly makes the day better when everyone is working as a team and gets along very well.”
Advice for Aspiring Colleagues
“All the hard work is worth it, and you can do it!”
Future Aspirations and Support Needed
“I would say my experience on a daily basis is already helping me prepare to reach my future goals. Being on the Operations Committee with South County Leadership is great inspiration. Everyone is very supportive here.’
Life Outside of Work
“I have been married to my amazing husband Brendan since September 2022. He also works in healthcare, as an RN at Westerly Hospital. We just got a puppy in January 2024 named Turbo, and he’s the best. Currently, I am 8 months pregnant with our first child.*
We love traveling, especially abroad, and have gone on many adventures together, including a road trip around Iceland for 2 weeks. Our honeymoon was spent in the Canadian Rockies. On a day-to-day basis we love spending time with our puppy Turbo and with our families.”
*Congratulations, Talia! In mid-June, Talia delivered a son, Christian.
Closing Thoughts
“South County Health has been my home now for 8 years. It’s a great place to work, and I feel like there is a lot of room for growth within the organization if you have the drive and motivation.”
“All the hard work is worth it, and you can do it!”