"The rural community is what I know and I like the rural lifestyle," said Amanda Winfrey, NP-C, who recently joined the Family Practice Clinic at SLV Regional Medical Center. Having grown up on a farm in northeastern Oklahoma, she graduated in a high school class of thirteen.

Promoting Comprehensive Health & Wellness

Amanda earned her master's in nursing from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and did her clinical rotations close to where she was living in Exeter, Missouri, near Joplin. "There is a big need for nurse practitioners in the rural area," she noted. The field of nurse practitioner (NP) has been around since the mid-1960s. NPs provide primary and some acute care, and are qualified to meet the majority of patients' health-care needs. They promote a comprehensive approach to healthcare and emphasize the overall health and wellness of their patients.

"I feel that maybe as nurses, we've learned about nurturing and listening to your patient and being in more contact with your patient," she said of her training. "And definitely, they continue to teach that in the nurse practitioner program."

Experience Serving Patients with Chronic Conditions

Before coming to Alamosa, Amanda did a locum position through an Indian Health Services facility in Chinle, AZ., working with an underserved population where there is also a high rate of diabetes. "It was quite an experience and I learned a lot," she said, adding that she especially enjoyed learning more about the Navajo traditions while there. She is now happy to make her home in the San Luis Valley with her husband and their young son.

"I know how important healthcare is to the rural community because they rely on themselves to be healthy so they can take care of their families and take care of their farms," she said. Amanda is accepting new patients and looks forward to meeting the healthcare needs of the area. She can be reached at 589-8082.