Debra Utpadel

I have been a nurse since 2002 and a nurse practitioner since 2013. I have practiced in hospice, pain management and general primary care. My client population is 18 years old and older. 

October 2017 – July 2024—East Texas Community Clinic, Nacogdoches, TX
Nurse Practitioner Adult/Geriatric Primary Care
Initial assessment and plan of care for new patients, continuation of care for established patients. General provider office visits to include the ordering and review of lab results, POC results, health monitoring, diabetes education, initiation of medications to include medications for depression/anxiety. Functioning as a PCP for uninsured/underinsured, indigent, Medicaid/Medicare/VA and private insurance patients to include assessment, medications and referrals to specialists when applicable. Emphasis on chronic care management. Conduct virtual consultations via telemedicine platforms to assess and treat patients remotely. Provide virtual follow-up care, including medication adjustments, lab reviews, and patient education. Perform minor medical procedures such as wound care, incision and drainage, biopsy, and joint injections.

Other duties included precepting nursing students and medical students, monthly educational seminars for staff, UDS compliance, chart audits and reviews for the various medical disciplines, liaison to insurance companies for compliances in health measures,
Participate in community health initiatives and educational programs, advocate for public health initiatives to improve access to healthcare in underserved communities.

July 2014 to October 2017—Precision Spine Care; Tyler TX
Nurse Practitioner Chronic Pain Management,
Initial assessment  for new patients, regular office visits, ordering and reviewing radiology and lab results, prescribing medications, ordering interventions, joint injections, Trigger Point injections, reviewing DEA/FDA reports, peer to peer consultations, referrals to specialists..

August 2013-July 2014—Silver Creek Pain Associates; Bullhead City, AZ
Nurse Practitioner Chronic Pain Management,
Initial assessment and plan of care for new patients, regular office visits, ordering and reviewing radiology and lab results, prescribing medications, ordering interventions, reviewing DEA/FDA reports, peer to peer consultations, referrals to specialists.

June 2013-July 2014—Living Waters Hospice; Golden Valley, AZ
Per Diem Nurse Practitioner
Assess hospice patients for continuation of hospice services, as needed history and physicals and medical/hospice resource for staff.

May 2012 –April 2013 ---Completed Master of Science in Nursing: Adult Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. Over 500 clinic hours completed.
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Nov 2010-May 2012- New Hope Hospice of Nevada Admissions/Visit Nurse Case Manager, Appointed Patient Care Manager March 2011. Promoted to Site Manager January 2012.

Duties to include assessment and evaluation of potential clients, admissions, case management and care of clients from admission to death. Managerial duties to include scheduling, data entry, situation analysis, educational seminars, budgeting, and general administrative tasks. General management of over 30 employees to include clinical and administrative staff. Service area to include Kingman, Bullhead City and Laughlin Nevada and surrounding areas. Served as the resource person for Medicare and hospice compliance issues to include Federal COPs, state regulations and ACHC certification.

July 2009-Nov. 2010- Symptom ManagementRN Hospice Austin

Duties include on call assignment of clients with immediate needs, nursing assessment, medication management, and pain management with acute needs, triage of assigned patients, death pronouncement and family care. Assisted daytime RNCMs with missed and additional visits. This is largely an autonomous evening hospice nursing position.

July 2009 –Feb. 2010—Completed Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

March 2006-July 2009-- Senior RN City of Austin Community Care Services South Austin Clinic.

Duties included supervision of medical assistants, performance of nursing and related tasks such as immunizations, health histories, electronic charting, health assessments, teaching clients and their families concerning various medical conditions. Work in conjunction with collaborative teams in pain management, diabetes management and palliative care. Worked in adult internal medicine unit with three doctors averaging 600 patients per week.

August 2004-Sept 2005--Field Nurse Case Manager VistaCare Hospice; Austin, TX

Case management for a client list of 10-20 terminally ill home patients.Duties included admission assessment, visit assessments, reordering of medications, wound care, and assist with ADL needs, coordinating other disciplinesas needed and weekly care plan meetings.

January 2002-August 2004-- Staff Nurse RN II/ PRN Charge Nurse 
Brackenridge Hospital; Austin, TX
Internal Medicine/Infectious Disease and Renal

Began as an LVN, promoted to LVN II and after completion of RNMobility(Aug 2003) promoted to Staff RN II and as a Charge Nurse PRN. Completion of Advanced Cardiac Arrhythmia training. Skills include venipuncture, phlebotomy, NG/Dobhoff tube placement, Foley placement, care and use of peripheral and central lines/implanted ports, 
Assessment and documentation, MD assist in sterile procedure such as bedside thoracentesis/paracentesis/lumbar puncture and PICC insertion. Preceptor to ADN and BSN students. Assisted in the development of a mentor program for new graduates. Brackenridge Hospital is a Nursing Magnet Hospital, Top 100 Hospital and uses the 
Nursing shared governance and shared nursing team model.
 

Chamberlain College of Nursing: Doctorate of Nurse Practice. July 2017. GPA 3.83

University of Cincinnati Graduate Studies. Adult Nurse Practitioner. Completion date April 2013. MSN as Adult Geriatric primary care Nurse Practitioner. GPA 3.5

Chamberlain College of Nursing, ST. Louis, MO—Bachelor of Science in Nursing February 2010 President’s Honors GPA 4.0

Austin Community College Associate Degree Registered Nurse Program, 
Austin, TX--Graduation Aug 2003--GPA 3.5

Austin Community College Licensed Vocational Nursing Program, 
Austin, TX--Graduation Dec 2001--GPA 4.0

Taylor TX Fire Academy, Taylor,TX; EMT-Paramedic Training and 
Certification starting June 1991