Carissa Nelson, APRN,CNP

Carissa Nelson, DNP, APRN, CNP is a member of the Family Medicine team at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s Brainerd Clinic. She joined Essentia Health in 2023. 

Carissa earned her undergraduate degree as well as her doctoral degree from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. She is board certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in Family Medicine. 

Carissa is dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence-based care to patients across their lifespan. Clinical experience includes family medicine, chronic disease management, acute care, women's health, travel medicine, and occupational medicine.  She is committed to building strong relationships with her patients, empowering them through education, and partnering with them to achieve their health and wellness goals.

Carissa believes in delivering personalized, patient-centered care that addresses everyone’s unique needs while promoting preventative health and long-term wellbeing. She strives to create a welcoming environment where patients feel heard, respected, and supported.

Outside of the clinic, she enjoys spending quality time with family and taking advantage of the outdoors whenever possible.  These experiences help maintain balance and reinforce importance of healthy, active living values that she encourages in patients every day.