“The idea of being able to give patients compassionate care when they are in their most vulnerable time of need is what inspired me to become a nurse,” Tina Hoang explains. Growing up in Irving, she admits her friends and family weren’t surprised by her choice. “They’d say, “You’ve always been there for people. You are such a great listener. I think you would be a fantastic nurse.”

After completing the nursing program at the University of Texas at Arlington, Hoang spent seven years focused on cardiovascular patients. She worked at Baylor Irving Hospital and Baylor Heart and Vascular Dallas. A fair number of her patients also had urological issues, so she often crossed paths with UPNT founding partner Dr. Keith Bloom when caring for them.

“He was always very nice, very supportive and taught me so much,” she says. “I always had a very positive experience with urology patients because of him. Over time, I realized patients need advocacy and I wanted to learn more, so I went back to school to become a nurse practitioner (NP).” While completing a clinical rotation for her NP program, Hoang ran into Dr. Bloom again at Baylor Irving right before her graduation. “I was delighted when he presented me with an opportunity to join UPNT.”

Charged with making rounds to see UPNT urology patients in the hospital, Hoang says her role is the perfect fit. “Of course, no one wants to talk about urological problems. It’s a sensitive topic. I understand patients feel vulnerable and their families are concerned. I always want to provide great care while protecting their dignity. My job is to be informative while treating our patients and making sure they feel comfortable.”

When she isn’t caring for patients, Hoang enjoys spending time with her Australian Shepherd, Riley, traveling and a good binge of her favorite TV shows.