Faculty Group Practice Newsletter

UTMB celebrated Advanced Practice Provider Week from Sept. 23 to 27. One of the week's highlights was the annual APP Awards of Excellence dinner. Please join us in congratulating the outstanding APPs who were selected this year, in recognition of their commitment to their patients, their professions, and the advancement of health care. We are proud to share an excerpt from each of their nominations.

Shibi Kunjumon, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is committed to helping patients enjoy fulfilling, active lives through good bone health. At UTMB's Bone Health Clinic, Dr. Kunjumon’s role involves screening and diagnosing osteoporosis and other metabolic bone disorders to prevent secondary fractures.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder marked by repeated interruptions in breathing due to relaxed throat muscles blocking the upper airway. Erin Gurski, NP in the Division of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, helps patients acclimate to treatment options for OSA.

The inaugural Urgent Care Skills Clinic was conducted on June 14, 2024, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure Advanced Practice Providers are well-equipped to deliver high-quality care grounded in evidence-based practices and prioritizing patient safety.

Treating pediatric patients with developmental and behavioral disorders is dynamic work that requires strong listening skills, intuition, deductive reasoning, and mental agility. The Advanced Practice Providers in Pediatric Developmental and Behavioral Health describe it as both challenging and fulfilling.

UTMB’s Regional Women’s Services and Pediatrics (RWSP) Program was brought to life more than 30 years ago with the goal of providing women’s health and pediatric care to vulnerable populations across southeast Texas and McAllen. Uniquely, RWSP program and clinic sites have always been led by an Advanced Practice Nurse or Physician Assistant.

The Center for Polar Medical Operations (CPMO) serves a unique role and function among UTMB departments, but like many clinical areas, it benefits from the support and expertise of an Advanced Practice Provider. Suzette Roberts, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, has served as the Medical Processing Manager for the Center for Polar Medical Operations (CPMO) at UTMB for four years.

March is National Kidney Month. Dr. Allison Mitchell, Nurse Practitioner in the Division of Nephrology, takes an approach that encourages identifying those most at risk for kidney failure, and being proactive in treating and preventing chronic kidney disease.

TMJ dysfunction can cause localized pain to the joints, referred pain to the ears, and to the muscles that control movement of the jaw. It can also cause reduced range of motion or trismus to the mouth. Our ENT PA shares how a variety of treatment options, from night guards to medication to physical therapy, can bring relief.

January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. It is estimated that more than 30 million Americans have thyroid dysfunction, yet at least half of these cases are undiagnosed and, consequently, untreated.

When you ask our current Urgent Care APP Lead, Kennikqua “Nikki” Thompson, MSN, APRN, FNP, ENP, what the busiest time is in urgent care, she says undoubtedly the winter season, better known as cold and flu season.

Guided by a shared goal to help their patients enjoy a greater quality of life, UTMB’s Hepatology Advanced Practice Providers work collaboratively with faculty in the division to treat a variety of conditions that disrupt liver function.

The Annual National Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Week took place Sept. 25 through 29, to recognize and celebrate an important group of providers who elevate the fields of medicine and nursing.

The Faculty Group Practice is pleased to welcome Laura Ellender, MSN, RN, CEN, FNP-C, to the role of Director, Advanced Practice Providers!

Jill Resendez, MSN, RN, AGACNP-BC, a nurse practitioner in the Division of Plastic Surgery, has found her passion in helping individuals regain their confidence.

As UTMB’s Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery has grown, patients benefit from additional expertise and procedures to address their needs – including a new clinic at League City Campus focused on venous disorders. Christina Guarin is part of the team behind this endeavor.

The Faculty Group Practice leadership extends sincere thanks to Stephanie Kemmerling, DNP, MSN, FNP-C, for her outstanding service as APP Director from September 2020 through May 2023.

Chelsie Chonoski, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, nurse practitioner in the Division of Urology, shares her knowledge of bladder cancer detection.

This month, we are pleased to recognize Cheryl Breaux, AGACNP, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.

This month we are pleased to highlight Shanna Thompson, RN, MSN, FNP-C, Nurse Practitioner in the Department of Neurosurgery.