New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council Recognizes Memorial Director as a NP Leader for New Mexico

Melissa is from Las Cruces, New Mexico. She graduated from New Mexico State University with a BSN in 2004 and earned her DNP-FNP there in 2017. Currently, she specializes in wound care. She’s the Inpatient Director and main provider for Wound Care at Memorial Medical Center. She also makes rounds at local skilled nursing facilities providing wound care for residents.

Melissa discovered her passion for wound and ostomy care while working as a home health nurse. She enjoys being able to help people improve their medical condition in relation to healing wounds. Her primary focus is in patients with diabetes mellitus, CHF and peripheral vascular disease. She particularly enjoys addressing the psychological aspects of ostomies by helping patients cope with the changes in their bodies, assisting them in understanding their lives are not over and they can enjoy life as they did prior to the ostomy. She also enjoys providing patient education regarding the management of their ostomy. Being able to improve patients’ quality of life through healing wounds and managing ostomies is the best part of her job.

Melissa’s professional goals are to continue to improve Memorial Wound Care Center and help prevent limb amputations in the community. Her best moments as an NP occur daily when she is helping patients heal, whether in the clinic, hospital or community setting. When asked what she would say to her younger self or to a new NP, she said that NPs’ ability to work in various healthcare settings gives them multiple choices when looking for a career path that allows them to find their special passion. When asked what she would like to see in the future for NPs she said, “I would like to see us continue to participate in collaborating with other health care providers to ensure optimal patient health outcomes. Our patients are becoming more complicated with acute and chronic illnesses. It’s critical that all health care providers come together in a collaborative effort. Too often I see patients who have numerous co-morbidities and each specialty health care practitioner focuses only on their area of specialty. This results in many puzzle pieces regarding patients’ overall health not fitting together to help patients reach their full health potential. I’d like to see NPs work in bringing together all health care providers, regardless of their background, to promote improved patient care and alleviate health care gaps.”

When she’s not working, Melissa likes gardening, being outdoors, baking and cooking. She also enjoys working with local school-aged children in 4H and FFA to promote independence, leadership and participation in community services.

About Memorial Wound Care Center

Memorial Wound Care and Outpatient Special Services Center offers diagnostics and care for a variety of health conditions.

• Acute and Chronic Wound Care
• Advanced Wound Care treatments
• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
• Memorial Amputation Prevention Program (MAPP)
• Nutritional assessment and counseling

Outpatient Special Services

• 24-Hour Gastric Reflux pH Impedance Study
• Fibroscan Liver Screening
• Continence Care
• Ostomy Care

Memorial Wound Care Center had diagnostic testing by certified nursing staff for patients who have issues swallowing, chronic acid reflux and liver disease. Patients who are experiencing fecal or urinary continence issues can receive treatment and ongoing care at our center. Memorial is the only facility in the southwest that offers re-and post-surgical ostomy education and care by certified ostomy nurses.

About New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council History

Dedicated nurse practitioner leaders in New Mexico founded the New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council in 1977. In 1997, the group incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization. The early leaders founded NMNPC to serve the professional interests of nurse practitioners caring for patients throughout New Mexico. NMNPC is the only state-wide organization of nurse practitioners in New Mexico and works to meet the needs of members and non-members across the state. For more information about our organization use the links on the right.

Mission Statement

NMNPC exists to unite New Mexico's nurse practitioners in a professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence in practice and optimal patient care. We strive to be informed and effective in our efforts to protect and promote nurse practitioners' professional interests and to provide strong patient advocacy.

More information can be found at https://www.nmnpc.org/page/November2019Spot