2020 Nurse Practitioner Week Highlights: Ginny Manalo

Today, during Nurse Practitioner Week, we celebrate Ginny Manalo, who is helping patients receive specialty care in Rheumatology. Thank you Ginny! 

Where do you work?

I work at Tallahassee Primary Care Associates.

 What is your specialty area?

I am Family Nurse Practitioner. I have had the pleasure of working in a Rheumatology specialty practice for the last 7 years. I received my BSN from FSU and my MSN from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee before moving back to Tallahassee.

 Why did you want to become a nurse practitioner?

I was a bedside nurse for 13 years before going back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner. I loved bedside nursing but wanted to expand my scope of practice and increase my knowledge and understanding of my field.

Is there a certain patient or experience that made you proud to be an NP?

As a rheumatology nurse practitioner, we manage very complex patients. It is incredibly rewarding to see our patients who initially are often in a lot of pain with decreased range of motion in their joints or have internal organ involvement from their autoimmune diseases improve over time with treatment. This process can takemonths or even years, but with time, they are able to be successful in their lives at work, care for their families and friends, and participate in hobbies and activities that they enjoy.

 How has COVID-19 changed your practice?

COVID 19 has changed our practice in multiple ways. Telemedicine has been the biggest change and has enabled us to continue to care for our patients who otherwise may not be able to be seen during this challenging time.