Employee Spotlight: Christine Santos, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
Meet Christine Santos, MS, ANP-BC, ACHPN, CCRN-K, Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner (NP) with Contessa partner Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Christine was recently recognized by a co-worker who shared, “She is the kind of nurse practitioner I would want for myself or my own family — compassionate, collaborative, incredibly knowledgeable and always going above and beyond to ensure her patients receive the very best care.”
We asked Christine to share some details about herself and her role here at Contessa and we hope you enjoy learning more just as much as we did!
All about me
A native of Queens, NY, Christine earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from New York University. She’s been a nurse for 17 years and a nurse practitioner for 12, with a career rooted in critical care and palliative medicine.
“I actually started out in the ICU,” Christine recalls. “I worked in surgical, cardiac, medical and coronary care units at NYU Langone — it was an incredible foundation.” After two years, she transitioned to the PACU and open-heart recovery, where she spent the next eight years.
During that time, Christine earned her master’s degree in adult primary care with a subspecialty in palliative care, all while getting married, having her first child and buying a home. “It was a busy season of life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she says.
Christine’s palliative care career expanded to inpatient and community-based roles at NYU Long Island and Calvary Hospice, where she managed inpatient hospice units. She holds certifications including ANP-BC, CCRN-K and ACHPN.
Life outside of work
When Christine isn’t caring for patients, you can probably find her in the kitchen. “Cooking and baking are definitely my love languages,” she laughs. “Feeding people makes me happy.”
She also loves staying active, both outside and in the gym and enjoys crocheting blankets and making crafts for friends. “Creating something with my hands is really relaxing for me,” she says.
Her non-negotiables in life? “My relationship with God, my family (including my puppy, Archer) and chocolate — definitely chocolate!”
What I love about Contessa
Christine was drawn to Contessa’s innovative approach to care delivery. “I had heard so many good things about Contessa, especially about how the organization thinks outside the box when it comes to patient care,” she says. “The ability to work remotely while still building real relationships with patients was a huge plus for me.”
She describes the culture at Contessa as supportive and balanced. “Leadership truly cultivates an environment where people can thrive, both professionally and personally,” she says. “There’s room to grow here as a clinician and that means a lot.”
When asked what she’s most proud of so far, Christine doesn’t hesitate. “I’m so proud to be part of an established home-based palliative care program that’s working upstream to make sure patients receive the absolute best care possible,” she says. “It’s a privilege to be a part of that.”
Thank you, Christine, for being such a great example of our values in action and for sharing your story with us!