This week (Nov. 10-16), we celebrate National Nurse Practitioner Week, the perfect time to show our appreciation for nurse practitioners (NPs) everywhere, including our own outstanding advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
What are NPs and what do they do? An NP is a type of APRN, and an APRN is a nurse who has obtained at least a master’s degree in nursing. With their advanced clinical training, our APRNs interact with patients in much the same way our physicians and physician assistants do. Our APRNs provide a wide spectrum of healthcare services to diagnose and treat orthopedic injuries and conditions.
Nurse practitioners also play a critical role in educating patients about health management and disease prevention, as they work to guide patients toward better health and lifestyle decisions. Because of their clinical expertise and personal approach to care, NPs are considered high-quality providers and excellent resources for patients. Learn more about our APRNs:
Katie Macdonald, APRN, works alongside Dr. JP Halloran and Dr. Tim Badwey to care for patients with conditions of the foot, ankle and knee. Most commonly, she evaluates and treats foot and ankle fractures, arthritic conditions, tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, meniscus tears and ACL injuries. Katie also sees sports medicine patients in her own clinic at Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance. Katie says her philosophy of care is “to treat the whole person, not only taking into consideration their orthopedic condition, but also take into consideration all their medical conditions, as well as their goals and expectations.”
Annie Muehlberger, APRN, RN, works with Dr. Brian Divelbiss, who specializes in orthopedic surgery of the hand, wrist and upper extremities, as well as Dr. C. Lan Fotopoulos and Dr. Fermin Santos, who specialize in interventional physiatry. She says she loves her role at KCOA because it’s “everybody working together as a team to provide our community with the best orthopedic excellence that we can.”
While we are honoring our APRNs this week, we’d also like to recognize the certified physician assistants who join them on our physician extender team. All providers on the team have advanced training and expertise, but PA training aligns more with a medical model that focuses on disease pathology, while NPs draw from the patient-centered nursing model with a holistic approach to wellness. We extend our deepest appreciation for all those who provide such wonderful patient care alongside our physicians.
If you would like to consult with us at Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance, call 913-319-7600.
About Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance
Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance is proud to provide the best orthopedic care in the Midwest. Our patient care team includes board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists, as well as physician assistants, nurse practitioners, durable medical equipment specialists and more. With 6 convenient locations across the Kansas City metro, KCOA offers surgical and non-surgical treatment options across all subspecialties of orthopedic medicine.
