Everyone knows that a business is only as strong as its team, and there’s no stronger team than Associated Pediatricians’ team of nurse practitioners. Between decades of experience, dedication, and empathy, these ladies are more than just qualified medical professionals – they’re life changers.
The Associated Pediatricians team of nurse practitioners is made up of four kindhearted women, all with unique educational and professional backgrounds.
Rhondalynn Sears has been a nurse since 1990 and a nurse practitioner since 1997. Jennifer Campbell has been a registered nurse since 1994 and spent several years working in a pediatric intensive care unit, giving her plenty of experience working with difficult cases. Kristina Flanagan has been a registered nurse since 2008. She first started as a pediatric emergency room nurse, so she is familiar with working in fast-paced situations. She also worked at a family practice. Lastly, Kimberly Minich has been a nurse since 2006 and a nurse practitioner since 2010. She’s worked in a newborn intensive care unit and has taught pediatric nursing at St. Mary’s College.
Each of these nurse practitioners, regardless of where their careers started, has fallen in love with pediatrics.
“They’re just so honest and sweet and innocent. It’s fun getting to know each child and trying to figure out what makes them work and what helps them thrive,” said Flanagan.
Of course, these hardworking women wouldn’t be the high-quality professionals that they are without their dedication. For them, there’s nothing more fulfilling than helping a child get healthy.
“When you go home at the end of the day, you can pick out those times you were able to help out a family or connect a child with the right resources. We come into this with an open heart and an open mind because we truly want to make these families better,” said Minich.
Along with all of their combined experience and passion, what makes each of these nurse practitioners so wonderful is that they know what it’s like to be a parent. Minich has six children, all of whom come to Associated Pediatricians for all of their wellness visits. Minich wants nothing but the best for her children, and that’s why she strives to provide the best care she possibly can.
“We’re all moms. We all have kids. I’m a different nurse now that I have kids than when I started. When a parent brings in a child who is sick and fussy and not sleeping well, we can empathize with them,” said Minich.
Part of providing the best care means striving to make sure their patients feel at home during every visit. Each of the nurse practitioners’ exam rooms has a fun theme to help set the children at ease. Patients can’t get enough of the Lego-themed exam room.
“A lot of times, our patients will beg to be put in a certain room because they love it so much,” said Flanagan.
Once a patient is checked in and ready for their appointment, medical assistants will take their vitals. If the child is scared, they’ll let the nurse practitioners know so they can take extra care to make the child comfortable. They’ll bring in everything from toys to bubbles to stickers to help put a smile on the child’s face. The nurse practitioners also don’t wear lab coats so they appear even more friendly.
“We don’t want to be intimidating. We want to help them relax and be reassuring,” said Minich.
At Associated Pediatricians, families are just as important as the patient. Everything is computerized and done through an online patient portal, so parents can see all of the nurse practitioner’s notes. During an appointment, the nurse practitioners go over everything with the parents step by step and let them ask all kinds of questions.
Parents can also reach out to the nurse practitioners directly through the portal. This is a great way for parents to ask follow-up questions after the appointment or, if a symptom pops up, parents can get it addressed without having to bring their child back in.
“We just want our patients to get comfortable with us. That’s why we encourage wellness visits; it gives kids a chance to get more comfortable with us so when they do get sick, they already know who we are. They’ll look to us for help because they’ll know we’re the ones who make them feel better,” said Campbell.
Ultimately, Associated Pediatricians’ nurse practitioners are a formidable and passionate team. They are grateful to work in such a supportive and encouraging environment.
“I love my job – I love working here. We couldn’t do what we do without everyone here. Between all the partners, our receptionists, nurses, and medical assistants, we have a very efficient team. We couldn’t do it by ourselves,” said Campbell.
No one is more grateful, though, than Associated Pediatricians’ management. It’s because of amazing people like these four women that the world has a chance to become an even brighter place.
“The compassion, knowledge, and years of pediatric experience these four women have brought to this practice is a true asset. What they brought to us sets us above any other pediatric practice in the Region. The partners and I value them immensely and are honored to have them on our team representing Associated Pediatricians,” said Dana Gibson, practice manager.
To learn more about Associated Pediatricians and its caring staff, visit associatedpediatricians.com.
