Melissa Talaski, RN-BC

About Me

Melissa Talaski joined the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab team in January 2016. After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology, Melissa decided to pursue becoming a physician assistant. However, working as a medical assistant for a family practice changed her focus, and, in 2008, she began to pursue a career in nursing. She participated in an accelerated Bachelor of Nursing degree from Rush University School of Nursing, and, after graduating, started working as a medical-surgical nurse at Rush Medical Center in the Orthopedic-Spine Unit.

While at Rush, Melissa attained an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) board certification in medical-surgical nursing and served in various positions in the unit advisory and department advisory councils and became the surgical representative for the Professional Nursing Staff Executive Board.

As an Admission Liaison, Melissa works with physicians at University of Chicago hospitals to assess patients for rehabilitation readiness. She is an expert in identifying barriers that may delay a patient's transition to rehabilitation. Being on-site at the hospital, allows her to communicate directly with patients and families, which comforts them and gives them confidence in making the best decision for their unique situation.

Melissa lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband and child.