Dr. Karin Wickwire loved her role as a nurse but recognized that by becoming a Nurse Practitioner, she could broaden her knowledge and practice options.
“I think the NP role is key to the healthcare team,” she said. “NP’s practice with a nursing and medical mindset and approach situations comprehensively. I also like that I was able to expand my knowledge and skills regarding improving practice by earning my DNP while also taking my NP courses.”
Dr. Wickwire initially chose Pitt Nursing to pursue her graduate degree due to the program's convenience and because colleagues from her workplace were part of the same program, and returned for her post-graduate Pediatric Acute Care NP certificate. She’s currently a nurse practitioner in the UPMC Health System at UPMC Hamot and Erie CARE Clinic, a satellite of the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Children’s Advocacy Clinic, coordinates the forensic nursing program at UPMC Hamot and works a few shifts with the Critical Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine Services. Dr. Wickwire is also an adjunct faculty at Gannon University and faculty at Duquesne University and, starting in 2024, will be the President-Elect of the International Association of Forensic Nurses.
“It’s important to recognize the work of NPs because they are really filling vital roles in the healthcare team,” she said. “They are providing care to patients with complex needs and providing care in underserved areas, as well as playing key roles in the team approach to healthcare, all of which are vitally important to patient health and wellness.”