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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2016)
8 S moke S ignals JUNE 15, 2016 Clinic hires two family nurse practitioners By Brent Merrill Smoke Signals staff writer Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center Family Nurse Practitioner Lorrie Amitrano prefers to shake hands the right way. She doesn’t like any of that light- ly taking her hand when she irst meets you. She likes a irm hand- shake. And if she likes you, she might even teach you how the Navajos shake hands. Amitrano, who previously worked for the Navajo Nation and lived in Arizona before coming to Grand Ronde, is one of two new medical providers who recently began prac- ticing at the Grand Ronde Health & Wellness Center. Amitrano and Kecia Harris are the Tribe’s new family nurse prac- titioners who have rounded out the medical staff and given Tribal members options when receiving medical services. Amitrano and Harris see patients of all ages. “Family practice is a generalized term that refers to caring for pa- tients all through their lifespan. So from newborn through end of life,” said Clinical Nursing Super- visor Christa Hosley. “They (family nurse practitioners) see and take care of everyone.” Hosley said family nurse practi- tioners are providers. They write prescriptions, diagnose, order di- agnostic exams, lab tests and im- aging, and make referrals. Not only are family nurse practi- tioners registered nurses, but they are considered advanced practice registered nurses educated and trained to provide health promotion through diagnosis and treatment of acute illness and chronic con- ditions. According to the Interna- tional Council of Nurses, family nurse practitioners have acquired expert knowledge and complex de- cision-making skills. “One of the things we have been working on and we continue to work on is improving patient access to health care,” said Hosley. “The goal is to improve access, and so by ill- ing our positions and increasing our provider panel we have been better able to meet the needs of the Tribe and the community.” Amitrano has been on the job for four months. Kecia Harris Lorrie Amitrano “I started here in February so I am deinitely the new kid on the block,” said Amitrano. “I have a long history with Native American populations. I worked extensively with the Navajo people for a long time.” Amitrano said she drove around Grand Ronde before deciding to accept the position at the Health & Wellness Center. “I thought the monies that were provided (for health care services) here were really spent well. The complex out here is just very im- pressive,” said Amitrano. “The attention to detail said that the peo- ple who were governing the monies were spending it very wisely and it impressed me.” Amitrano said she has been wel- comed to the Health & Wellness Center with open arms. “The people that I have been working with have been fabulous. The staff here – everyone has just been so nice,” said Amitrano. Amitrano, who used to be a para- medic and ran an ambulance com- pany, said she is ready to use her skills and knowledge to beneit the Tribe. She said she can do every- thing a family medical doctor can do and that the only difference is she reports to a board of nursing and doctors report to a board of medicine. “I’m master’s prepared,” said Amitrano. “I’ve gone on to get a lot more credentials. I’m board certi- ied as a professional nutritionist. I’m board certiied as an advanced holistic nurse. I look at the whole patient and the whole person. I’ve been taking care of patients in so many different ways as I’ve con- tinued on my caregiving. So for me, it’s always been about the whole person. “Every person that comes into my ofice, I really embrace the sacred nature of that person. I’m honored to be here.” Amitrano is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with the American Academy of Nurse Practi- tioners, a board-certiied advanced holistic nurse with the American Holistic Nurses Association and a certified nutrition professional with the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. “Lorrie is very nurturing,” said Hosley. “She has a passion for the holistic care style. She’s looking at improving a person’s health, qual- ity of health and quality of life.” For Harris, this is her irst job as a family nurse practitioner after graduating from Gonzaga Universi- ty in Spokane, Wash., in December 2015. “I’m a brand new nurse practi- tioner,” said Harris, who started working in Grand Ronde in March. “I am here to help you reach your health goals. I think this is going to be a fabulous career.” Harris, who grew up in Sandy, said she had reached a point where she was looking for a change and that she wanted to gain more skills to improve her life. Her father asked her one day if she had ever thought about a career in nursing. She looked into it and completed a two-year degree at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton in 2003. Harris went on to attend Washing- ton State University in Pullman and received a bachelor’s degree in 2009 and a master’s degree last year. Harris said she feels comfortable Summer Arts Program scheduled The Art Conspiracy of Yamhill County will hold its Summer Arts Program for students 9 to 16 years of age from Amity, Sheridan, Willamina and Grand Ronde with preference given to returning students and students from these areas. The Summer Program consists of eight days of 2.5-hour morning and afternoon classes four days a week for two weeks. Courses are taught by working artists and educators. Classes will be held at Amity High School Monday through Thurs- day, June 20 through June 30. Transportation will be provided from Willamina High School at 8:15 a.m. daily and Friday, June 24, is reserved for a ield trip to the Hallie Ford Museum in Salem. Classes are limited to 10 students to maximize learning. Scheduled classes include ceramics, painting, beginning digital photography, manga/comic drawing and AM Rock Band, among others. Registration is accepted irst-come, irst-served with a $25 deposit due with registration. For more information, visit artconspiracy.simdif.com on the Inter- net or the Art Conspiracy West Valley page on Facebook. in her new work environment and feels supported by those around her. “Everyone here has been very in- vested in my success as a provider and that’s been really nice,” said Harris. She said it is the interactions with her patients that make nurs- ing the right career for her. “My take is we need to make this a collaborative relationship (be- tween patient and provider),” said Harris. “Together, if you are honest with me, we can reach your health goals. Patients need to know that we are here to help and support and nurture. We want this to be a pre- mier place for people to get care.” Health Services Executive Direc- tor Kelly Rowe said Amitrano and Harris it not only the educational and professional criteria they were looking for when filling the two family nurse practitioner positions, but they it the community as well. “When we were looking at hiring for the position and when we interviewed we were really trying to ind the right skill set, of course, but also the right it,” said Rowe. “We were trying to ind someone who wants to be here and be part of the team and bring better health, but also for the right reasons. Both Lorrie and Kecia inter- viewed well and they came across like they care. They are passionate about their skill, but also about people and that’s what we want.” Rowe said Amitrano’s experience working in Indian Country will be invaluable and that Harris is the right it for the Health & Wellness program. “The sense I got from her (Harris) wasn’t just empathy and compas- sion, it was also enthusiasm,” said Rowe. “She was so passionate about wanting to work within a small community and she wanted to be a part of something bigger than her and that for me was the right it. “The nurse practitioners that we brought on fit incredibly well to be part of the team. They are key. They are essential. The idea is to bring people in that are a good it and that they are here for the right reasons – to be able to care for our membership, to really be part of the community and to be part of the family. That’s their role.” Harris lives on a small farm out- side of Dayton with her husband, three dogs, two cats, four alpacas and 18 hens where she spins alpaca wool into yarn. When not working, Amitrano can usually be found hiking to a waterfall or traveling to a wine tasting, farmer’s market or musical event. WIC visits Health & Wellness Center Pregnant? Breastfeeding? Does your family include a child under the age of 5? If so, you may qualify for the Women, Infants and Chil- dren program. With WIC, people can receive answers to nutritional questions and access fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, milk, cheese, juice, cereal and more. A WIC representative visits the Health & Wellness Center on the irst and third Tuesday of the month, June 21 and July 5. Walk-ins are welcome between 8:45 and 11 a.m. When WIC clients arrive at the Health & Wellness Center, they should enter through the Wellness Department located at the back of the medical wing. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 503- 623-8175, ext. 2297.
