I am a pediatric primary care nurse practitioner in the Division of General Pediatrics. I provide well childcare and care for acute outpatient illnesses for pediatric patients in their medical home here at VUMC.
It can be challenging to navigate the social complexity that a lot of our patients bring to the table - low socio-economic status, issues with insurance coverage and transportation, high rates of food insecurity, low health literacy, and other factors can all impact a child's ability to thrive. On the other hand, an opportunity associated with my current advance practice role includes being able to support patients and families in these areas, providing thoughtful anticipatory guidance and health education and connecting them to necessary resources while also caring for their physical and emotional health.
Recognizing the need in our clinic given our large population of Spanish-speaking patients, I studied Spanish on my own time and within my first year of practice here I was able to take and pass the medical Spanish proficiency test so I can speak Spanish during visits with my patients without needing an interpreter.
I completed training on the Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers and Young Children (STAT) and have been able to incorporate the STAT test into my primary care practice, increasing access to autism diagnostic visits for my patients. As part of a quality improvement research team, I helped create a PCP follow up protocol for our patients newly diagnosed with autism. This included designing a custom EHR-embedded clinical note template and order smart set that integrated best practice recommendations for providers and smart phrases to provide educational and practical resources for caregivers. Our work was featured in May at the International Society for Autism Research Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden where I had the honor of presenting a poster.
In my role as the Director of Advocacy efforts for the Division of Gen Peds, I edit/publish a monthly e-newsletter (90 subscribers) including updates on policy and advocacy initiatives at the local, state, and federal level with relevant action items. I also present monthly advocacy updates to the Division and organize in person meetings with legislative staff. Advocating for policies that will positively impact our patients and their families is meaningful work.
I have been married to my husband David for 11.5 years, and we have a sweet pup named Benji. In our free time we love to travel, returning from a trip to Ireland and Sweden just last month. We also love to spend time outdoors - paddleboarding, camping, biking, and hiking are a few of our favorite activities. 