Strategic Advisor, Nursing, NRC Health
As a Strategic Advisor with NRC Health, Ashley is responsible for turning aspiration into action. Leveraging her clinical expertise and passion for experience, she works collaboratively with partners to help achieve goals through the power of Human Understanding. She is committed to bringing thought leadership, valuable strategies and service to partnerships with healthcare organizations across the country.
Ashley comes from a long line of nurses where she was inspired by and drawn to a career in healthcare. Her career includes 18 years in pediatric nursing, serving as a leader in the areas of compassionate care, education, and patient experience. While she never thought she would leave the bedside, she found great purpose in helping others to understand the magnitude of the overall experience. She emphasizes the importance of the ‘little things’- the basics of human connection and the power they bring to the care experience. Ashley focuses on seeing the individual in front of you, not just the diagnosis in the chart.
While her skill set and knowledge base are rooted in nursing, Ashley has gained a great appreciation for the many teams it takes to deliver an experience where patients feel valued, cared for and listened to. From the front desk to the clinical encounter to the follow up plan and beyond, Ashley understands the importance of every team member delivering on their touch point.
Her knowledge and solution-oriented approach is a helpful asset in developing plans, implementing best practices and achieving success. She works to align with executive strategy by understanding the uniqueness of healthcare organizations and what matters most to the patients they serve. She is adamant about keeping the patient at the heart of healthcare.
Ashley is grateful to be invited into spaces with teams to transform healthcare delivery. She is committed to celebrating exceptional care of today and has an immense drive for elevating the care of tomorrow.
Ashley and her husband Adam live in Harrisburg, SD with their three children. They enjoy spending time by the water and stay busy with many sporting activities, a little shopping and lots of country music.
Articles by Ashley Nelson
May 25, 2026
When we only see dashboards and metrics, we risk missing what really matters. But when we start seeing the faces behind the data, hearing the impact on patients and families, and truly understanding what those moments mean, everything shifts.
May 1, 2026
Discover how MDR strengthens care coordination, reduces LOS, and improves trust for patients, families, and care teams.
April 30, 2026
If rounding is happening, but trust isn’t rising, what exactly are we rounding for? This guide makes the case for rounding that actually moves the needle on safety, experience, and retention by putting human connection at the center and using technology to amplify (not replace) it.
April 23, 2026
Leader rounding has long been established as a healthcare best practice. But in today’s environment where trust, loyalty, and experience increasingly define organizational performance, rounding can no longer be treated as a checkbox activity.
February 18, 2026
Communication breakdowns cause most serious safety events in healthcare, and patients who feel uninformed often report less trust, more anxiety, and worse experiences. Tools like patient communication boards, when used consistently and thoughtfully, help close that gap by making care visible, predictable, and shared.
February 18, 2026
A bedside shift report positively impacts quality, safety, experience, and outcomes. This is the power of the Bedside Shift Report (BSR). Bedside Shift Report (BSR) isn’t new. It’s been around for years. Many organizations have tried it, but not all have made it last.
February 18, 2026
Purposeful (hourly) rounding is how we slow the room down—on purpose. Not a box to check. But a predictable touchpoint to actually see the person, anticipate needs, and prevent harm. As a nurse, I know how overwhelming the day can feel. But I also know the power of small, intentional moments. Purposeful rounding is about making patients feel cared for, and it’s about reminding ourselves why we do this work.
May 28, 2025
In a recent Becker’s Healthcare Podcast episode, NRC Health’s Toya Gorley and Ashley Nelson unpack how trust in leadership shapes culture, care quality, and employee retention.
May 22, 2025
Understanding and addressing what matters to your consumers and patients as unique people is the key to honoring and even exceeding those expectations.