By Shawn Nowlin, shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
More than 30 million Americans do not have health insurance in any capacity, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Data from the Virginia Health Care Foundation shows that nearly 11.2 percent of all Virginians between the ages of 19 and 64 have no health insurance. While the numbers have dwindled over the years, a lot more needs to be done to close the gap.
Health care workers have made incredible sacrifices over the last year to ensure that the needs of Roanoke Valley residents are prioritized. Jessica Brim, a Nurse Practitioner (NP), recently opened her privately owned medical facility on Market Street, Valley Care LLC.
“Finances are the biggest reason people lack access to healthcare. The price of premiums monthly and increasing cost of deductibles makes individuals not want to purchase insurance policies,” she said. “Therefore, decreasing their chances to adequate healthcare.”
At an early age, Brim knew that she wanted to be a nurse. Born in Collinsville, she and her family moved to Roanoke when she was eight. After graduating from Cave Spring High, she joined the Coast Guard.
“I stayed there for eight years, four of which were active and the other four were reserve. I was trained as a military nurse. While in the Coast Guard, I went back and forth from Elizabeth City, NC, where I was stationed to Jefferson College of Health Sciences for my four-year RN degree,” Brim said. “I worked for Lewis Gale for several years while obtaining my Master as a Nurse Practitioner.”
Asked to explain what a Nurse Practitioner is, Brim said, an advanced practice registered nurse and a type of mid-level practitioner. The training that is required to be a NP, she continued, covers basic disease prevention, coordination of care, and health promotion, but oftentimes does not provide the depth of expertise needed to recognize more complex conditions.
Nurse Practitioners are trained to assess patient needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose disease, formulate and prescribe treatment plans. No longer requiring supervision by a physician, NPs can now practice independently and to the extent of their education in 24 states which includes Virginia.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted that the Nurse Practitioner field will grow by 45 percent by 2029. Brim’s advice for individuals who want to enter the field is to do so with passion, not money or popularity.
“The facility came about from a childhood dream. I never thought I would become a Nurse Practitioner, but that is where life led me. I have felt like a leader my whole life and I am blessed to be an entrepreneur,” Brim said. “I would like the City of Salem to know that I am just a simple and humble individual who wants to do good for the community and I am here for their healthcare needs.”
More information can be found at valleycarellc.com.
