CCMH Employee Certified as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Tracy Wasserburger, Campbell County Memorial Hospital's Maternal Child Unit Manager, has assumed a new role as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP). Tracy managed the Maternal Child Unit for 21 years before completing her education, licensure and credentialing as a NNP.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioners work with physicians and nursing staff to provide care for infants in the hospital setting. Utilizing NNPs in the nursery setting is common in surrounding states like Colorado, but nursing and medical models in Wyoming generally haven't adopted it yet. The idea that a nurse practitioner could support the medical staff was first conceived three years ago as a way to assist the local pediatricians with call coverage while recruitment was ongoing for an additional pediatrician.

"This has been a goal of mine forever," says Tracy. "Everyone from the nursing staff to the physicians have been so supportive of my new role."

Tracy works 10, 24-hour shifts per month, rounding on all infants in the nursery and taking call for deliveries and other duties. She is credentialed to care for newborns (defined as 0-28 days), with the pediatricians providing oversight and collaboration.

Other facilities in the state have contacted CCMH to see how this new care model was accomplished, and how they can implement it in their facilities. "

Suzanne Johnsrud has been named the Interim Maternal Child Unit Manager, and recruiting has begun for a permanent manger.

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