The Lion's Roundtable (Guest: Kelsey St. Arnaud)
Download MP3Good day. This is Amber Narro at ninety point nine FM, the lion. I am at the lion's roundtable today, and we're excited to introduce you to Kelsey St. Arnaud, a family nurse practitioner who has joined North Oaks Primary Care in Hammond. We this is the first time that I've been with the Lions Roundtable at North Oaks.
Amber Narro:I was at North Shore Broadcasting, then I've come back to KSLU. I'm so excited to be back with North Oaks on KSLU and still continuing this commitment to Southeastern, to ninety point nine, the Lion, and to our health care and our regional health care system. Yeah. So welcome. I'm so glad to have you, Kelsey.
Amber Narro:I'm happy to be here.
Amber Narro:You're gonna be Kelsey? I'll be Amber today?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Sounds good.
Amber Narro:Works? Yeah. Fantastic. Fantastic. Alright.
Amber Narro:So welcome. Let's start from the beginning. You've been in health care more than ten years. Right?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yes.
Amber Narro:So you're looking good for that, by the way. Very good for that. Alright. What inspired you to get into the medical field?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So, you know, I've always known from a little girl that I wanted to help people, so this is the best way possible. So I started my journey at North Oaks where I began as a patient rep in the ER, just kinda helping direct patients in the ER, the waiting area. Oh, wow. Thank you for that. Yeah.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:And then from there, so I went to nursing school, got a job in the WellBaby nursery here.
Amber Narro:Where was nursing school?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Charity in New Orleans.
Amber Narro:Very good.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I started from the bottom. Lovely. That's wonderful.
Amber Narro:So I appreciate that, and I appreciate that work that you've done. So registered nurse, labor, and delivery?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yes. Yeah. So I started at North Oaks working nights. I did my due diligence and work nights. And then I got a daytime position kind of which led me away.
Amber Narro:I heard about that night crew. Heard things I about did. I hear there's all kinds of stuff, you know? That's that's just from my experience of in watching TV, though. You've worn a lot of hats, ER, nursery, labor delivery.
Amber Narro:Now you're an NP. How does that shape you as kind of a provider to see really see it at all levels? I mean you've seen charity, you have seen regional healthcare now, ER helping patients now providing patient care. What does that full circle look like for you?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So it's definitely developed me into a well rounded provider and each role has taught me something very important whether it be from being empathetic, attention to details, and then how important it is to work as part of a team. And then those perspectives have influenced me, you know, how I provide care to my patients today.
Amber Narro:Fantastic! Alright, so back at North Oaks, nurse practitioner, what brings you back home?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Feels like home. It's home. Yeah. I was born and raised here, so you know the opportunity came about and I jumped.
Amber Narro:I feel that. I feel that for you. Me going back to KSOU now after having been at North Shore Broadcasting for a couple of years, just so, you know and just in case any of our listeners still haven't heard the story, Hurricane Ida destroyed the Vickers Hall at Southeastern and it prevented us from being able to go live with this show for a little bit and I was like, well I want to be in a place where I can at least go live sometimes. Right. Right.
Amber Narro:And the great thing about me coming to North Oaks and not going live with this show in either place, to be honest, is because we can get to people like you, and then y'all can return to patient care very quickly. So we do like to we do like to come here for you guys if at all possible and we've gotten to do a lot of great interviews because of that. But going back home after North Shore Broadcasting and having full support of both North Shore Broadcasting and KSLU and doing so has been so good for my heart to bring it back to where this show started in like 1988. Wow! I know, I know, I don't even know if you were born yet.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:No color.
Amber Narro:So, nope, I figured that. Yeah. I was. I was. So for listeners who might not be familiar, what do nurse practitioners do?
Amber Narro:We've heard a lot about them lately and they feel like I feel like there's a lot more of them now.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:It is. It's very growing occupation. Yeah. It's much needed for sure. Okay.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Why? So we are licensed and certified medical providers who can diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, order and interpret tests, and manage both acute and chronic diseases alongside our doctors, our medical doctors.
Amber Narro:Well that sounds like a doctor, what differentiates you from a doctor? From a listener standpoint, one of the things that you know, maybe my listeners will want to know is what the difference between an MP and an MD is. And would think that that would include things like maybe surgery, Yes,
Kelsey St. Arnaud:no, we don't perform surgeries. There are specialized trainings and stuff that we can do, maybe like different procedures like in office, but as far as like actually performing surgeries, no we don't, but you know there are some providers again who can assist the doctors with the surgeries, but be solely responsible for those
Amber Narro:now. Right. So you guys fill the gap in clinic visits and making sure that patients kind of continue their primary care at a level where they might not be able to get to a doctor because a doctor who's performing surgeries and also having to do all the doctor things can't necessarily, may not be able to see you as quickly as a nurse practitioner. Yep. Yes.
Amber Narro:Fantastic. Fantastic. So you can still diagnose though, and you can still give medications and things like that. If we need our day to day care, as well as some of the things that might be a little bit more difficult, you guys can refer out. The second that things get a little past your past the MP and need a MD, you refer immediately to them.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Absolutely. Absolutely. Or we have our collaborators, you know, in the clinic who we're in close contact with that, you know, we always can say, hey. What's your thoughts on this? So they're always there to support us, but yes.
Amber Narro:Very good. Thank you. Thank you for that. So dealing with a sore throat, managing something like diabetes, can they come see you for those kinds of things? Absolutely.
Amber Narro:Any day, not day. Absolutely. Like when we're talking about like day to day care of our chronic illnesses like that diabetes or other types of maybe like asthma and things like that, that's you. Right? That's me too.
Amber Narro:Yeah. Fantastic. Fantastic. So like I said, NPs have a lot of fill the gap between what the doctor can do and maybe what a nurse can do as well. I love it.
Amber Narro:Love it. I You have said that your care style is holistic and relationship centered. Tell me about that a little bit.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yeah, so I like to approach each patient and get to know them. Like, you know them not just their chart, not their symptoms but their goals, you know, their lifestyle challenges and you know their concerns. So I really take time to again listen to the patients and I really like to explain options very clearly. So some patients may think like, you know, we're talking about X, Y, and Z but I like to explain to them in a level so that way they know what's going on. And also too, I like to share the decision in their treatment with the patient.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So you know, we'll talk about different treatment options and I'll say, hey, you know, here's your options, you know, what do you think now that you have the information to make those decisions? Can you be my primary care person? Sure. Okay,
Amber Narro:I like this. Alright, so holistic and relationship centered. I'm getting that. I'm liking that. Why is that important to you?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So healthcare can be very overwhelming especially when you're managing a chronic condition or facing a disease or diagnosis. So experience working with many patients in an underserved area where trust in our system is low or access to care is limited. I want to be the provider who not only listens but educates and advocates for my patients.
Amber Narro:Okay, so what's advocating look like for you?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So, advocating for me is what's best for the patient, making sure that they get what they need to be able to care for themselves and be able to be the best person that they can be health wise.
Amber Narro:Is that maybe through like contacting insurance companies also making Yes. Sure Very good. Very good. And even probably speaking to those doctors at that next level, right?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yes. Yes.
Amber Narro:Love it. Love it. Alright. So what's one thing you hope every patient feels after leaving your office?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:A number of things, but I want them to feel that I heard them, and I want them to be informed and I want them to be confident in their care and the treatment that we have for them. You know, I want them to walk out thinking like, okay, I understand what's going on and I have a plan that works best for me.
Amber Narro:Okay. So you see 12 and up. Right? Yeah. What kinds of services can families expect?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:A wide range of things. So anywhere from preventative screenings to physicals to women's health, chronic disease management, immunizations, the list goes on.
Amber Narro:Do you think that there is a person that you can do personalized primary care and that there's a need for that in this area? Oh, absolutely. Yes.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Tell me
Amber Narro:what that means, personalized primary care. Melt through that one on me. That's a new one.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So people looking for providers who see them more than just an emergency room. See them for the person that they are because they want that consistency, they want that trust and that's exactly what we're getting for here at OrthoX.
Amber Narro:Fantastic. You know, as a professor a lot of things that I do when I'm advising my students and whatnot is ask them about, you know, are you working full time right now? Do you really want to schedule yourself with a full time schedule for Southeastern as well as a full time work schedule? Do you know that the grades might might go down? Do you ask those kinds of other questions when they're with you?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. Lifestyle stress factors and all that kind of come into play for the symptoms that they come in with and you know we got to kind of dig through all of those things to help them best.
Amber Narro:Absolutely and when you're talking about outcomes as well, like one of the things that I've heard some of the, docs that we've interviewed here is oftentimes they'll ask them things like, What do you want to be able to do? You know, do you feel like that's a question that you can help resolve as well?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Oh, sure. Yeah, I mean, I've been thinking of a couple of patients right off the bat that, you know, you sit down and say, okay what is your goal and where do you want to be? And you know from there we talk and develop a plan to get them here and be
Amber Narro:able to do those things and achieve those goals. Love that, love that. So when I'm coming to you, and by the way right now like I've got a primary care physician and I've got some things, you know, I need to go by the way. I haven't been this year yet. And Melanie is, don't give me those eyes, Melanie.
Amber Narro:I'm telling you, I feel them. All right? Because she always looks at me. So Melanie Zafuto who handles the communication here at North Oaks and gives me a great script. She always holds me responsible for my annual visits.
Amber Narro:I know I'm late too, so I've got to go and I've got to go see my primary care physician right now. But when I go and talk to her as, you know, I'm pre menopausal, all right? Let's just go there, Alright? And I've got I've got some things that are happening and changes that are happening. I I see that you've got this background in labor and delivery, and so you've got some woman care stuff happening with you.
Amber Narro:Right? I do. So do you feel like you've got a little bit of a of an edge there as an NP having focused in that area first?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I think I do. I do. Not a thing. Yeah. I do.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yeah. Absolutely. I love it. It's Woman's Health will forever hold a special place in my heart. Know?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:What I started out doing, that's what I love doing.
Amber Narro:So labor and delivery though sounds like a lot younger than I am because it is. Okay? But when I'm moving to this, can you help me too? Absolutely. Yes.
Amber Narro:Alright. So primary care at all ages 12 and up. Yes? Wonderful. Wonderful.
Amber Narro:You're working with a full team there. They are a 100% on board with you, giving you all the support and everything. Let's give them a shout out. Who are
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yes. So we have Doctor. Theil, Doctor. Robinson. A few of the nurse practitioners there is Polly and Shay and Jenna, who is our newest.
Amber Narro:Wonderful. Wonderful. So it's a collaborative, supportive environment that put pa put patient care first, obviously. Right? And Melanie put that down on the paper.
Amber Narro:I'm saying that because it's written there, but I also believe it too. So I'm a North Oaks patient for sure. Alright. Let's lighten things up. Rapid fire.
Amber Narro:Ready? I'm ready. You're ready. Okay. What's one thing you always carry in your work bag?
Amber Narro:Lipstick.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Because I don't have anyone right now because I was. Well,
Amber Narro:you still look beautiful. So there you go. I think what's in my work bag? I think I always have my phone. I'm gonna say.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yeah. Think could take my phone. Yeah. Gum. Gum would probably be a good one.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Gum? Yeah.
Amber Narro:I bite the inside of my mouth. I can't chew gum. I'm I'm not good at it.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I can't go into a patient room take a nap.
Amber Narro:I got it. I I do mets. I do mets. There you go. But I can't I can't do gum.
Amber Narro:So I'm I think I'm too clumsy to are there people who are too clumsy to chew gum?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I guess so. I mean, you could have, like, a thicker cheek maybe. I have a bad habit of fighting with that.
Amber Narro:So I I would like I would rather say that. Would agree. I think I would rather say that I can't chew gum because I have thick cheeks rather than I'm a klutz. There you go. So I'm gonna I'm gonna do that.
Amber Narro:I have thick cheeks. Alright. Coffee or tea? Oh, coffee. Oh, yeah.
Amber Narro:Oh, yeah. Alright. Go to stress reliever?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Probably mindlessly scrolling through my phone, which is probably not a good thing to say.
Amber Narro:That's okay. Not doom scrolling, though. Happy scrolling. Right? We're looking at cats and and goats and and and happy things.
Amber Narro:Horses. Horses. You do horses?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:My daughter does. My daughter takes barrel lessons or barrel racing lessons. Where does she do that? Out in La
Amber Narro:Oh. You know why? I'm just saying that because I grew up in La Ranger. Oh, did you? Yes.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I did. Yes. I did. So where who did she take lessons with? Shout out to Susie Poles.
Amber Narro:Okay. The Poles family. I love it.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:My thoughts and I love them.
Amber Narro:I do too. So miss Poles taught me math when I was going through school. Okay. And she was hard as she could be, but I was so glad to have her, especially when I got to high school. She was great.
Amber Narro:So the Pauls family, wonderful, beautiful, awesome people. Do you live in LaRoger? We live in Cox Reaction.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Oh, okay. Not too far. I got you. I know those are my people. Those are my people.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:We'll talk after it's done.
Amber Narro:Alright so one piece of advice you give most every patient?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Be optimistic about your chair and optimism.
Amber Narro:I think that's important, right? But realistic as well, right? So, but you know, I mean as I'm getting older, right, I'm starting and my friends are starting things are starting to happen to all of us because that's what happens when you get older. Right? Things start not being as strong or as as helpful as they weren't once were.
Amber Narro:For me, right now, it's my eyes. Like, I've had to start wearing readers, and I'm real salty about that. Yeah. So and I've really avoided it for a long time, and I think I've made it worse by avoiding it for so long. But, when when I think realistically, put the glasses on and read the book.
Amber Narro:Right? At a certain point, I just need to be Christ.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yes. With it.
Amber Narro:Working on it. Graceful part I'm working on.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Thankful you woke up Self every improvement. There you go.
Amber Narro:Grace. That grace word. Yeah, for sure. Alright, so one piece of advice you give to almost every patient is going to be optimistic and I say realistic. Okay, I'm going say realistic on that as a non patient care provider who's going to have to wear glasses now.
Amber Narro:If you weren't in medicine, what would you be doing?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Probably something with animals. Veterinarian maybe? Okay. Something like that. I love animals.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yeah, I'm hearing that. So
Amber Narro:does anybody come in with their dog? No, we can't have dogs.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Oh, no. I've had a patient tell me about his dog and how he brings them and everything, but he did bring him
Amber Narro:in that business. Yeah. Absolutely. So, yeah. So definitely would be working with animals and I hear that going from the the horses to the yeah.
Amber Narro:So do you have dogs?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I do. I have a little Boston terrier. She'll be a year in November and then my husband caved last December and we got my daughter a cat. So now we have a cat.
Amber Narro:I like cats.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Do you want another name?
Amber Narro:Yes.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Okay. So the dog is Wrangler and the cat is Rodeo.
Amber Narro:Oh, cute. Cute. I love it. Absolutely. With the love with the horses and the whole nine yards.
Amber Narro:So, yeah, we had my husband's a golfer, and we had Bertie and Bogie the cats Oh. One time. Perfect. Yes. And now we've got Ruthie and Randy because that was his grandparents.
Amber Narro:Yeah. They are little Ruthie and Randy too. Alright. So what's your favorite holiday?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Halloween.
Amber Narro:Oh, good time of year for you. Alright. That's awesome. You're a Halloween baby. Right here.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:My birthday is next week. I think it's why I'm partial to Halloween because it's my birthday. So I don't know which I love better. Is it my birthday or is it Halloween? We're related.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:You know what?
Amber Narro:My my grandson's birthday is next week. My firstborn grandson is
Kelsey St. Arnaud:on the thirty first. He's a Halloween Oh,
Amber Narro:okay. Very good. Y'all are close then. Alright. Very good.
Amber Narro:So we're almost related. Yeah. So best concert?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Lady Wilson. Go on. It was my daughter's first first concert, and she was so excited. Where'd you see where'd you see her? Oh, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Amber Narro:Y'all went for that concert then? We took her
Kelsey St. Arnaud:on a road trip and brought her out there, and she loved everything about it. And it was worth everything.
Amber Narro:Yeah. I think mine was Brooks and Dunn.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Okay. And then I see the concert. Yeah. Well, that's when they were in the prime. Yeah.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:It
Amber Narro:was awesome.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:It was awesome.
Amber Narro:Favorite color? Purple. Green for me. Sorry. Go southeastern.
Amber Narro:Go lions. Alright. Favorite food? Sushi. I'm with you.
Amber Narro:Good. Favorite movie? Focus, of course. Halloween. Yeah.
Amber Narro:You have themes. I do. You're a themey person. Okay. Favorite hobby?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Oh, probably just relaxing, not doing anything.
Amber Narro:I have an aunt who said, I like to sit. Yep. That's why she's helped me all the time. Like, come on. Chrissy, come on with me.
Amber Narro:She's younger, so we I just call her my first name. Like, Chrissy, come with me. She's like, no.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I like to sit. Just sit.
Amber Narro:Do nothing. Just sit. Absolutely. Favorite sport?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Basketball. Go on. Yeah. Alright. Did you play basketball?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I did. Where? So I played a little in high school, but grew up
Amber Narro:Growing high
Kelsey St. Arnaud:school? Panchola.
Amber Narro:Alright. There you go. Live in Punchula.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yes. And then started doing AAU basketball, so I did that for several years.
Amber Narro:Very good. Love that. Vacation?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:I'd probably have to stay in the mountains and then probably the beach. Gotta have a summer and fall.
Amber Narro:And that's where we differ. Okay. Yeah. I can't do the beach. I don't like sand.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:It's gonna be a couple of days a couple of days worth, and then it's like, okay. I'm gonna have my fill.
Amber Narro:I feel like I have to bathe for, like, three weeks when I come home from the bay from the beach. There's sand everywhere. I can't say it. Can't say it. Alright.
Amber Narro:So it's been a pleasure having you on, and I really appreciate having you. So before we wrap up, how can somebody be a patient or come and book with
Kelsey St. Arnaud:you're super fun. They should come
Amber Narro:and visit you I'll talk to them. And talk to you about your animals and loranger and Halloween and hocus pocus and basketball.
Kelsey St. Arnaud:Yeah. We might have to make, like, hour long appointments, but But you can
Amber Narro:do that. You're an MP. Kidding. So where how can they get in touch with you?
Kelsey St. Arnaud:So again, you can call 985230 appointment or it's (985) 230-2778 or you can go to the website at northoaks.org/pcp, and you can request an appointment there. Oh my gosh. This has been super fun. I love the rapid fire questions, Melanie.
Amber Narro:I do too. Those are fantastic. Those are fun. Alright. So until next time on the Lions Roundtable.
Amber Narro:I'm Ambranero. Y'all have a great day. Ninety point nine FM, the Lion. Listen every Thursday and Friday at 09:00.
