About Erik Olson Erik Olson, AGACNP, wants his patients to know he has first-hand experience in being the patient lying in the hospital bed, scared and wondering if he was going to die. “I was a cancer patient. In fact, I was treated at Elkhart General,” he says. “I had excellent care from the entire team that took care of me. When I got better, I started in the nursing program at IUSB.” He describes his opportunity to help others as a blessing. As a nurse practitioner specializing in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care, he says, “I may not know exactly how they feel, but I remember how I felt and I try to treat them with the compassion and dedication that I received when I was a patient.” His nursing education was completed at Indiana University South Bend. He then went on to earn his Master of Science in Nursing, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP, University of Alabama at Birmingham. He chose the trauma and surgical services specialty after serving as a Marine overseas and seeing the benefit of training to care for trauma patients. “I like that, for most people, there’s something we can do to help them. They have an acute problem and we can help them get better and get back to their normal life,” he says. Prior to this role, Erik worked in intensive care, as a flight nurse, and a paramedic, treating critically ill patients enroute to hospitals and at trauma centers. As an NP at Beacon, he cares for people in every area of the hospital – emergency room, operating room, intensive care – and on the floors until they’re discharged home. “Some of the advanced techniques and technologies that Beacon has been using for years are just now being adopted by other major trauma systems,” he says. Erik hopes his patients learn that he cares, wishes them well, and will do whatever he can to help them. Likewise, he has learned from everyone he has treated. “Patients have taught me that life is precious. I have taken care of people at all stages of life, from birth to death. They have taught me not to waste the time I’ve been given.” In his own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life?  Mark Walsh, MD. He took an interest in me and pushed me to pursue this career. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it?  I worked construction in high school. It was hot, the work was difficult, and I knew I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life. What is your favorite food? Movie?  I really like ribs.  My favorite movie is 3:10 to Yuma. What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up?  My best subject was math and my worst was English. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?  Robin Williams. He seemed like such a nice caring person and he was super funny, so I bet it would be a blast In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about?  I don’t know. It feels like I’ve been in school for this for an eternity. What are your hobbies, interests?  I enjoy running and working out. I like taking my dog, Wrigley, for walks and spending time with family. What is something most people don’t know about you?  I speak Russian.