Danielle Waldron, MSN, ARNP is entering her eighth year as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She works both at Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) and in a small private practice in Snohomish County. In her clinical work at the BHUC, she assesses patients in crisis and assists those with difficulties accessing psychiatric care in their community. She provides psychiatric evaluation as well as consultation with ER physicians, primary care providers, and case managers, with the goal of assisting with ongoing care recommendations. She encounters a wide range of psychiatric disorders in this setting. In her work in private practice, she provides ongoing medication management and supportive therapy.
While she has some experience collaborating with primary care providers in her current work, she would like to improve her knowledge and skill set through the UW Community Based Integrated Care Fellowship. She is particularly interested in improving care around perinatal mental health and substance use disorders in integrated models. These patients are often seen as too complex for integrated care; however, they often have no other options for care. Her participation in this program will improve how she is able to advocate for integrated care for patient populations who are underserved.
In five years from now she hopes to see Collaborative Care expanded to reach more patients in need of psychiatric care in a timely manner.