Nicole “Nikki” Manuel is a board-certified Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist and Advanced Practice Nurse with more than 30 years of clinical experience in cardiology. A lifelong resident of Chicago’s northwest suburbs, Nikki has dedicated her career to cardiovascular patient care, clinical education, and the advancement of specialized cardiac services.

Nikki began her nursing career on a cardiac unit at a hospital in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, where she developed her passion for cardiology. She subsequently gained experience in critical care and the cardiac catheterization laboratory before advancing into specialized clinical and leadership roles.

Throughout her career, Nikki has worked with patients experiencing heart failure, coronary and peripheral vascular disease, and complex cardiovascular conditions. Her experience includes caring for patients undergoing cardiac and peripheral angiography, catheter-based interventions, and structural heart procedures such as transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), MitraClip, and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO).

Nikki is particularly passionate about patient education and believes that informed patients are better equipped to participate in their care. She emphasizes helping patients understand their cardiovascular conditions, medications, risk factors, diagnostic testing, treatment options, and procedural expectations.

In addition to her clinical work at Illinois Cardiovascular Specialists, Nikki serves as an Adjunct Professor at Aurora University’s School of Nursing, where she contributes to the education and development of future nursing professionals.

Outside of medicine, Nikki enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending theater performances and live music events, and traveling.