Patti Gasper, DNP ’20

Patti Gasper of Elkhart, Indiana, has been a nurse for over 26 years, with a specialty in cardiology. She is currently employed by Beacon Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists in South Bend.

“I am passionate about working with patients with cardiac arrhythmias, in particular atrial fibrillation,” Gasper said. “I believe that women need better access to all cardiovascular care across the lifespan as evidence is emerging regarding the effects of childbearing and other female-specific issues on heart health.”

Gasper’s passion and understanding of important classroom concepts have been apparent during her time in the DNP program.

“Patti can be very quiet in class, but when she speaks, she speaks wise words that hit the heart of the matter,” Stoltzfus said. “Patti seems to be able to effortlessly write in a scholarly manner as well as engage in clinical and academic conversations in a professional manner.”

“I feel blessed to have learned a great deal through the course of this program, particularly the skills to serve at the forefront of efforts to implement new models of care delivery to improve patient care,” Gasper said.

Gasper’s DNP project, “A Competency-Based Checklist to Facilitate Transition for Novice Nurse Practitioners in Cardiology,” provides a cardiology-specific checklist during orientation, working to improve patient access to timely cardiovascular care.

“The first year of nurse practitioner practice is a particularly vulnerable period for new graduates,” Gasper said. “Evidence in the nursing literature suggests that if this transition from expert nurse to nurse practitioner is not well supported, new practitioners may not only feel frustrated and isolated, but may also choose to leave their positions. This is not only costly to a healthcare system, but may leave patients without access to a provider.”

Later this month, Gasper will present her project to the American College of Cardiology section for advanced practice nurses.