Rebecca Stull, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC

My first introduction to the world of medicine was through the eyes of a patient’s family member. When my mom was in the hospital, I watched the gentle, compassionate care that the nurses provided for her, and I knew that nursing was my calling. I began my nursing career taking care of adults undergoing outpatient surgery, where I learned that my specific contribution to this field is my gift of making difficult situations less scary and more fun. Sometimes that means providing distraction, but other times it means helping patients change their perspectives and frame situations in a different mindset. While I loved my adult patients, pediatrics has always had my heart, so I transferred to a children’s hospital where I continued to care for patients before and after surgery, but this time, they were just a bit smaller!

After a few years as a nurse, it became clear that my heart was being pulled to obtain a master’s degree in nursing so that I could help to keep children out of the hospital whenever possible. My goal was ensuring that their care was holistic from the start, addressing all aspects of their health instead of simply addressing the problems. I attained my Pediatric Nurse Practitioner- Primary Care education from UCLA and joined the team here at CHLA, where I have been blessed with a position that allows me to combine all my loves.

As a Cardiology Nurse Practitioner, my job is to care for kiddos undergoing advanced cardiac imaging, such as MRIs and Perfusion Stress Testing in the Cardiac Imaging Suite. Our team is leading the way in cardiac imaging, working to make safer imaging a realistic option for our kiddos with congenital heart disease and beyond. Part of my role in making that happen is to help kids feel comfortable and confident in their ability to do their scans so that the entire experience is changed from something scary to something fun!

The very best part of my job, and what I love most about being a provider, is that moment when a child is done with their scan and I see this huge smile across their face because they know they did it! While the intent of our imaging is to get pictures that help us see the heart clearly, we are also teaching kids that they can do hard things. If I can get them laughing at some point, I know we’re doing something right!

When I’m not at CHLA, you will likely find me at home with my family, at church, or at the beach. I am also a crafter who loves to work with lots of different tools. I love to create with UV Resin, Cricut, and crochet, and I am always looking for my next project! My very favorite things to create (so far) are customized onesies for baby showers. It brings me joy to create things that are so unique to people that they feel loved and seen when they receive them. That personalized care is what I want everyone in my life to feel- whether it be my family and friends or my patients.