Nurse T Community Advocate

Tarnesa Martin ("Nurse T")

Hurley’s Patient Resource & Community Advocate’s mission is to improve the patient, family, and community healthcare experience through education, support, and advocacy.

Tarnesa Martin, RN, known in the Hurley community as Nurse T, serves as a community liaison for health concerns, including diabetes, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. They focus on education and resources to reduce disparities and improve health literacy and access to care for underserved populations in an effort to reduce hospital readmission rates and improve patient experiences.

Nurse T knows that trust is key when building momentum and igniting unity. She reaches out to underserved populations that may be fearful of accessing healthcare, have mistrust in the healthcare system, or may have health-related knowledge deficits that Hurley can help resolve. To build this trust, she participates in community outreach and educational events establishing relationships with community groups, minority-owned businesses, faith-based organizations, and other trusted channels that serve underserved populations. She encourages individuals to share their stories of overcoming sickness and adversity. Nurse T is then able to address those patient experiences as she continuously works with program coordinators to address barriers to access for crucial services.

Tarnesa believes in engaging those who need care and their families as partners in their own healthcare. She reinforces this through her messaging as she works to educate the community on health issues and the resources available through Hurley. She attends many events where she not only finds herself in the role of community advocate and educator but also lending a hand as a first-aid provider.