Ashley Wheeler is a board certified, masters prepared family nurse practitioner. Although she grew up in the rural Pittsburgh area, Ashley now resides with her three children in the Tampa Bay Area. In 2012, Ashley graduated summa cum laude from Drexel University with a Bachelor's degree in pre-medicine studies.
She continued her education graduating in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University. Ashley spent the next 5 years practicing as a registered nurse in the emergency department and in home health care. In 2019, Ashley graduated from Chamberlain College of Nursing, cum laude, with her Master's Degree in Nursing with a family medicine track.
After completing graduate school, Ashley spent some time practicing in primary care. Ashley joined Thrivelab over three years ago with a passion to practice holistic medicine and change the lives of her patients. Ashley currently specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement along with interventional spine and pain management. Ashley also speaks as a key opinion leader for Medtronics Pain Division and in 2023 she developed and launched a society for APPs focusing on minimally invasive surgeries for pain management.
In her free time Ashley loves to spend time with her children, travel back home to visit family and snowboard, and spend time in the gym.
Why did you want to become a provider in your field?
I became a nurse practitioner to help fight the stigma of "a doctor doesn't give the patient the time to talk". I Had always dreamed of becoming a registered nurse, but I quickly found myself and some of my patients in situations where they felt they weren't given the appropriate amount of time or concern from their primary care physician, PA or NP. I wanted to make a difference and show patient's that someone is out there willing to listen compassionately and help develop a plan together. To make the patient feel like their time and concerns were valid.
What do you believe you bring to your patients that no other Provider does?
In nursing school, the number one aspect that stuck with me was the word "compassion". Never did I think that nursing would be such a compassionate career. Until working with patients and families, I didn't realize how involved in personal tragedy and happiness would occur in my everyday life. As an NP, I truly strive to view each patient as my family member, give them adequate time to not feel rushed and the opportunity to explain their needs and concerns thoroughly. On top of this, I am always open minded and ready to treat with an open mind, but more importantly, an open heart.
What do you love best about being in your field of medicine?
I absolutely love developing lasting relationships with patients that I have gotten the chance to work with long term. Many of my patients are like family and it is so rewarding to know that I have made a positive influence on their life or the life of their loved ones.
