Natalie Yialelis is a Southern Humboldt resident and a Med-Surg nurse at Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits, as well as at the Jail in Eureka. Her passion for teaching Nursing stems from her earlier career as an educator and her Master’s in Education from UC Berkeley. Teaching has always been her first love, and joining College of the Redwoods to teach Nursing is a dream come true.
Natalie’s teaching style emphasizes respect, empathy, and open communication. She strives to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment, provide timely feedback, and model caring and professionalism. Her primary goals as a Nursing instructor are to raise the standard of health care in the county and to encourage students to think critically about health and patient advocacy.
She believes that critical thinking and curiosity are key to student success in Nursing. While previous experience in the medical field can be helpful, it is not required, as Natalie aims to guide all students in developing the skills and confidence they need for clinical practice.
At College of the Redwoods, Natalie teaches Nurse 1, Nurse 4, Nurse 20 (the LVN-to-RN bridge program), and VNC 102. She says the best part of teaching at CR has been the students and the welcoming community of colleagues. “I have met so many good people at CR,” she notes, reflecting her appreciation for the collaborative and supportive environment.