I have worked at the University of Maryland Medical Center for 35 years, 20 years as a nurse practitioner in a variety of roles including advanced heart failure and now as the program manager for the Heart Failure Readmission Initiative.

I have always loved cardiology from the time that I started as a nurse. My experience as a bedside nurse was initially in cardiac surgery followed by working in the CCU. Naturally, I transitioned to a cardiology-focused practice once becoming an NP. There is nothing better than seeing someone so sick due to a devastating cardiac illness and seeing them thrive and recover. It truly warms my heart!

During the pandemic, we have carefully minimized risk to patients by using telemedicine in the outpatient clinic. Each visit requires education, so every patient can understand how to protect themselves against COVID-19. Now, with the vaccine available, it is important to help those with heart failure recognize the importance of prevention through vaccination efforts because they carry an increased risk of death should they become infected with COVID-19.

The heart failure clinic at the University of Maryland Heart and Vascular Center is well suited to ensure all aspects of our patients health are addressed. Our pharmacist works with patients to ensure they understand of their medications. The social worker and community health worker assist with issues surrounding substance abuse, housing and food insecurities, or transportation difficulties which impact their ability to get to and from their medical appointments. The nurse practitioners prescribe medical therapy to improve the life expectancy of patients and decrease morbidity associated with their disease process. Nurses assist with education regarding self-care as well to help patients stay optimally well.

As an NP, I love learning. Every day I get to learn something new about how to treat a patient or how to relate better to patients to improve their life. I always dreamed of starting a nurse practitioner based clinic that would treat heart failure. Being given this opportunity to start and run this clinic was thus far the most rewarding part of my career. I work with wonderful patients and staff and collaborate with some of the best cardiologists in the Baltimore area. It has been a pleasure and I am proud of this accomplishment.