Overview
I am a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and a fellow of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners/Associates. I have a doctorate in nursing from UCLA with my focus of study in immunology and neurobiology of the young infant. My areas of interest and research include immune response, vaccines, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), and health maintenance. I have over 40 years of experience in pediatric primary care and have been involved in the education of nurse practitioners for the past 30 years. I have worked at several universities including UCLA, and am currently a professor at Duke University School of Nursing, an affiliate of the Duke Global Health Institute, and a lecturer at University for Developmental Studies in Tamale, Ghana. As the Director of Global Educational Partnerships and Innovation I arrange global clinical experiences for graduate students. In addition to my faculty appointment, I am working on a project to start a Family Nurse Practitioner Program at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Moshi, Tanzania and am involved in a distance educational project at University for Developmental Studies in Tamale, Ghana.
I have worked in some form of clinical practice since I became a registered nurse in 1973. At present, in addition to my research and teaching activities, I am in clinical practice as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Oak Island Pediatrics in Southport, North Carolina. This rural practice specializes in the treatment of ADHD and behavioral problems as well as pediatric primary care. I provide primary care to 30 to 40 patients a day. This includes well-child care, the management of acute and chronic illnesses, and the furnishing of medications. As one of only a handful of pediatric care providers in the area, we see a large and diverse population of patients with a wide array of special needs.