Smiles of Amare: Charla Cook, Travel Cath Lab RN

For Charla Cook, nursing runs deep—woven into her family’s DNA and forged in resilience. Her grandmother, still a legend in her community, proudly working well into her 70s, lit the torch that Charla now carries. “She’s tough and has come back from lots of setbacks,” Charla shares. “My hero.”

Though her original dream was to become a trauma surgeon, life shifted her path. As a single mother, Charla needed a faster way to provide for her son. So she pivoted, enrolling in a nursing program after already earning an Associate Degree in Science. In two years, she became a registered nurse—a decision that would spark a decades-long career grounded in grit, heart, and purpose.

That was 24 years ago.

Today, Charla works in the cath lab, opening blocked arteries and restoring life where it once hung by a thread. Her journey has been filled with unforgettable moments—like performing a needle decompression for a tension pneumothorax under the guidance of a nurse/paramedic/firefighter she respected deeply. Or the countless STEMI interventions, successful codes, and emergency department triumphs.

“Nursing is hard work,” Charla says candidly. “It can exhaust you physically and mentally. We wear many hats and sometimes we need some grace extended to us.” She speaks for countless nurses when she reminds others that they often work entire shifts without food or bathroom breaks. “We see things others couldn’t bear, deal with things they can’t. But we have to roll with the punches and keep going.”

For Charla, that perseverance is grounded in perspective. “If it’s been a tough shift, I remind myself I have ‘30 seconds and a hallway’—and then I must move on and not carry the burden to the next patient.” It’s this mindset that keeps her focused on the mission: to rise to the challenge every second, for her patients, her coworkers, and the family waiting back home.

That family includes two sons, a grandson, and a husband of 11 years. But Charla’s roots go beyond medicine. She’s a cattle rancher too, continuing her family legacy with her own herd. When she travels for nursing assignments—like her recent favorite in Galveston, TX—she’s rarely alone. Her favorite cat often joins her, offering comfort far from home.

A self-described learner from the “OGs,” Charla encourages new nurses to develop thick skin, stay humble, and protect their mental health. “Don’t take the baggage home,” she advises. “Be a team player. And always, always be thorough—because at the end of the day, you’re responsible for you.”

Whether she’s saving lives in the cath lab, working toward her bucket list destinations of Wyoming and Hawaii, or caring for her animals, Charla brings her full heart and strength to everything she does. She credits her recruiter, Brittany, for helping her find the right assignments to do what she loves while providing for her family.

“Nursing means going to work and giving my best every time,” she says. “So I can make a difference in the lives of the patients I care for—or even just their families and visitors.”

During Nurses Week and every week, Charla Cook reminds us what it truly means to deliver care worthy of a million smiles. Thank you, Charla and all our incredible nurses at Amare Medical Network for everything you do to make a difference in the lives of your patients. Happy Nurses Week!