Rachel Kramer, CNA
Rachel Kramer is a Certified Nursing Assistant with experience in oncology, cancer care, and home health services. She began her healthcare career at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, where she worked until March 2020, supporting patients receiving advanced cancer treatments and participating in highly specialized clinical environments.
During her time at NIH, Rachel worked closely with leading physicians and multidisciplinary teams caring for research patients from around the world. She describes the experience as the most meaningful of her career, valuing the opportunity to observe and support some of the most advanced medical care in the country. Her role strengthened her clinical awareness, attention to detail, and commitment to compassionate patient care in high-acuity settings.
In addition to her hospital work, Rachel provided home health care services across Virginia and Maryland. She assisted elderly and medically fragile patients with daily activities, mobility support, vital sign monitoring, and 24-hour watch care. In one critical instance, she identified dangerously low oxygen levels in a patient that had been previously missed, enabling timely intervention that significantly extended the patient’s life.
At the time, Rachel was also pursuing prerequisites for an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), including courses in Human Anatomy and Physiology and Lifespan Development. She later stepped away from the medical field in 2020 due to vaccination requirements and family responsibilities as a mother of two young children, marking a transition in her professional and personal priorities.
• UMBC - English degree
• CCBC Baltimore - Human Anatomy and Physiology
• CCBC Baltimore - Lifespan and Development
• Silver Spring - CNA certification
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Activities of daily living (ADL) assistance
- Patient safety monitoring and escalation of critical findings
- 24-hour watch care
- Vital signs monitoring and patient observation
- Elderly patient assistance and mobility support
- Home health care services
- Clinical support in research hospital settings
- Oncology and cancer patient care
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoy most about practicing nursing is the natural sense of connection I feel when caring for people. I have always been drawn to helping others, and nursing allowed me to build meaningful human connections through communication and presence. I found the experience to be both grounding and therapeutic, and it felt like a field where my strengths and instincts aligned naturally. I especially enjoyed working with elderly patients, getting to know their stories, and supporting them during an important stage of life. My time at the National Institutes of Health was particularly impactful, as I had the opportunity to work alongside some of the leading physicians in the world and be part of an exceptional level of care.
Locations
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland Home Health Care Services (Virginia & Maryland)
1043 Lublin Terrace, Lakewood, NJ 08701
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