National Nurse Practitioner Week is celebrated November 12-18, 2023. This week is celebrated annually to recognize and increase awareness and appreciation of the pivotal role of nurse practitioners in the delivery of quality healthcare.

In all 50 states, NPs assess patients, order and interpret tests, make diagnoses and provide treatment, including prescribing medications. As clinicians who blend clinical expertise with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management, NPs bring a comprehensive perspective to patient care.

At YKHC, nurse practitioners serve in a wide range of settings, both at the hospital and in village clinics. We acknowledge the invaluable contributions they make, individually and collectively, to the communities we serve. Quyana for your work!

To help share more about the nurse practitioner experience, in this article, we feature Abigail Morgan, one of valued nurse practitioners who doubles as a medical trainer, as she tells us about herself and her experiences at YKHC:

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born and raised in Franklin, TN, the oldest of six children. I went to Vanderbilt University for my Master in Nursing- Women’s Health NP. After graduating in 2005, I worked in private practice outside of Atlanta for 10 years. 

I also lived in Gaborone, Botswana for 2 years and helped to establish a Kaiser-type model of care for the two insurance companies in Botswana, as well as started and ran the outpatient clinic. 

I have three children: Rex, age 10, Colin, age 8, and Beatrice, age 4 (Bea was born at YKHC). I love to camp, cross country ski, board/card games, and read—when I’m not chasing my kids!

What events/situations led them to pursue a career as an NP? 

I was pursuing a biology degree during my undergraduate training. My mom told me about this accelerated NP program at Vanderbilt University and I was excited about being in the medical field; it took me only 2 more years of school to become a fairly independent practitioner.

What motivated you to transition to become a medical trainer?

I really enjoy being able to know all the providers at YKHC. By being the trainer, I interact with every new provider that starts at YKHC. I wanted to be able to make sure everyone was set up for success at the outset. Moving to Bethel is difficult and starting at YKHC can be overwhelming. Knowing that our providers start off well sets the stage for the rest of their time at YKHC. Susan Richard, my fellow trainer, had been doing a wonderful job and she recruited me to join her!  

I also have a very strong interest in EMR. Any EMR I have used, I have always wanted to know all about, how it worked and all the options. I wanted to understand it so I could use it effectively. By training, I could also pass along my superuser knowledge to others and improve their experience too.

How many years did you spend in training/education to become an NP /Medical Trainer? 

I spent a total of five years (undergrad and graduate school) to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner.

I have always been interested in computers and electronic medical records. Learning on the job and using the system I taught myself to be a super user. In previous experiences I would attend our EMR’s yearly conferences to learn more. As superuser I was also always the trainer for new providers.  I think naturally (as being the oldest of 6), I had always been teaching.

Now that you have done both (NP/medical trainer), can you share which role are you more passionate about and why?

 I will ALWAYS be passionate about patient care. I love taking care of patients. I really enjoy guiding a mom all the way through her pregnancy and then sharing in her care afterwards throughout her life. I enjoy enabling women to achieve their health goals! 

With that said, I also am passionate about my medical trainer job. I want everyone to be set up for success as they onboard to YKHC. I want their transition here to be as smooth as possible and have them start out with a positive experience.  I am passionate equally about both roles! Being passionate about both roles ensures that I will always strive to bring my best to the table.   

How has your work as an NP/ trainer impacted you personally and professionally? 

Personally, being a medical trainer has given me the opportunity to know each provider at YKHC. I don’t know many YKHC employees that can say they know every single provider. 

Professionally, I have been able to develop non-clinical skills much faster than  if I had stayed in full-time clinical care. I have learned a lot about healthcare administration and informatics.

How has your work impacted the communities you serve?

By having providers ready to work and set up with all the tools they need, they are able to practice medicine and see patients- not have to focus on more administrative tasks. Alleviating that administrative burden improves the provider’s experience and in turn positively impacts the patients in our communities.

How does it feel to know that what you do has a huge impact on aspiring health professionals?

 I feel very humbled and honored to know that I could impact future health professionals. Being a NP and medical staff trainer is such a fulfilling job and I hope future health care professionals see that from me.