Donnielle Turner has worked as a registered nurse at Houston Methodist since 2012. She originally shared her story for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Annual Report 2023.
After participating in my first PH Professional Network Symposium in 2017, I made it a priority to attend the biennial PHA event.
Pulmonary hypertension is such a niche field, but I feel part of something larger at the symposiums. Health care professionals from all over the country and world attend, so I can connect with others who understand exactly what I’m saying and learn about innovative research. I am exposed to what works for other care teams and apply that to my practice.
I first participated in Advocacy Day in 2023. It was refreshing to feel like I was making a difference for the patients I serve.
As health care professionals, we struggle every day to ensure our patients get the right drugs. We know our patients well and what’s working and what’s not. Yet when we prescribe a drug, it’s up to the insurance company to decide whether patients receive the medication. We need a better way to ensure our patients get what they need when they need it. They need the right drug now, not in six months when we’re tied up in appeals.
My favorite part of Advocacy Day was banding together with other providers in my area (Texas and Louisiana) and talking to the lawmakers who represent our states in Congress. I felt empowered by trying to make a difference in my patients’ lives.
Every time I saw patients after Advocacy Day, it felt amazing to say, “I lobbied for the Safe Step Act. I feel the same way you do. I’m on your side and I’m going to keep advocating until there’s change.”
Sometimes patients feel isolated so it can be uplifting to know their health care teams are in their corner, fighting for treatment access. Advocating keeps my passion for nursing alive.
Since I started working at Houston Methodist, I have been a professional member of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. From the beginning, I learned I couldn’t do my job without a professional membership because of all the resources that come with it.
My colleagues and I refer patients to PHA support groups; the Empowered Patient Toolkit; resources for newly diagnosed patients; and PHA-accredited PH Care Centers. We use the PHA website to learn about available research grants and participate in the mentor/mentee program.
I currently serve as a mentor for providers who are new to PH. I feel like you can’t work in the PH field without being involved in PHA. The events and resources bring the PH community together and are exceptional education tools for patients and professionals.
