Meet the Team

Jackie Faryna RN, MSN, FNP-C and Nicole Hanson RN, BSN both have a wealth of nursing experiences, each having worked in various areas of healthcare over their years as nurses. Nicole and Jackie met on a travel nursing assignment in Chandler, Arizona in 2018 and after several months, went their separate ways in their respective careers. Five years later, Jackie and Nicole met again in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and realized they each were passionate about patient advocacy and helping people in their community thrive in their healthcare journeys.

Nurse Connect was born from their passion to ensure all people, even those who lack a local support system, can get the services they need.

Being a patient mentor and advocate are extremely vital aspects of being a nurse, but those resources end once the patient is discharged. Nurse Connect can bridge that gap.

  • Co-Founder

    Jackie began her nursing career in Orlando, Florida. She attended the University of Central Florida and has both a bachelor's in hospitality management and marketing (2008) and a bachelor's in nursing (2010). Jackie also has a master’s degree in nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner, graduating with honors (2020).

    Jackie’s first nursing position was in a level one burn/trauma unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center where she worked until her grandfather became very sick with esophageal and gastric cancer. He was living in Arizona, and Jackie was very involved with helping advocate for his care. As things progressed, Jackie quickly relocated to Arizona to be closer to family and assist with his care. Jackie’s Grandfather recovered from this major health event and thrived until his passing at 91.

    During this experience, Jackie realized her passion for patient advocacy, particularly in the outpatient setting. It is necessary for patients to have someone who can assist them in understanding their conditions and ensure that they have the support they need to navigate the healthcare system.

    Over the next decade, Jackie worked in various intensive care units with specialties in trauma, neuro, cardiac and medical/surgical intensive care as well as endoscopy, interventional radiology, preop and post operative care. Jackie worked for several years as a traveling nurse and has a passion for caring for trauma patients.

    Jackie went back to school to pursue a career as a Family Nurse Practitioner and graduated in 2020. That same year, Jackie became a new mother. Her daughter had special medical needs which further solidified for her how vital it is to have assistance navigating the health system.

    Jackie experienced firsthand how difficult it was to ensure her child had the healthcare she needed. Because of these experiences and many years working in healthcare, Jackie realized that she could be the person to bridge this gap and help patients who need an extra hand or extra set of eyes. Jackie looks forward to providing one-on-one care to those who need it most.

    In her free time, Jackie loves spending time with her family; they enjoy hiking, camping, traveling, and exploring the beautiful state of South Dakota. Jackie has been to 5 continents and hopes to visit all 7 during her lifetime. Jackie and her husband both work in healthcare and have a good network of local healthcare resources.

  • Co-Founder:

    Nicole is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota and graduated from Augustana University with a Bachelor of Arts in nursing and a minor in Spanish. She had the opportunity to do a medical mission abroad with the organization Children of the Nation in the Dominican Republic. Nicole has always loved outreach mission work. She has done medical missions in Nicaragua and Haiti, and has even worked locally through Church on the Street as a compassion coordinator.

    In 2017 Nicole took an opportunity to travel nurse and explore healthcare in a variety of different states on and off for five years. While working in a cardiovascular intensive care unit in Tucson, Arizona, Nicole experienced the profound tragedies that arose as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. The hospital systems in Arizona during the pandemic were overwhelmed and understaffed at a time when nurses were in dire need of resources. Nicole witnessed what it meant when families were not able to be present at the bedside of loved ones who were constantly on the brink of death. iPad visits became the extent of support for many of those in the ICU, and the extent of advocating for patient lives became difficult to manage. Nicole is so proud of how strong her colleagues worked and how they powered through the pandemic. She herself learned a new sense of calm in times of stress and a new sense of joy in times of celebration.

    Eventually, Nicole and her husband, Kyle Hanson, made their way back to family in the Midwest. Nicole continues to work as a nurse and has renewed passion for reaching out into the Sioux Falls community.

    Nicole has been an RN going on nine years and knows there is a definite need in the community for patient advocate services. She has worked on med/tele units, step down units, and critical care units. She has also managed all types of scenarios facing the adult and elderly lifespans.

    Nicole is excited for the services that will be brought to Sioux Falls through Nurse Connect.