COMPASSIONATE CARE Meet MORE MD’s, Helen Paslay, board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Helen Paslay has worked in health care for more than 12 years. She has cared for her patients in primary care, emergency medicine, outpatient surgery, solid-organ transplantation and pain management settings, with eight years of her experience acquired at one of the best medical facilities in the world, the Mayo Clinic Hospital (Phoenix campus).
Family nurse practitioners have six years of additional medical education beyond the two years required for registered nurses. The Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP, FNP) has an additional eight years of education beyond that of a registered nurse.
In addition, the family nurse practitioner must complete extensive clinical primary-care training in adult, geriatric, pediatric and women’s health. They must also pass a very difficult testing process to become certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Furthermore, they have extensive training in critically analyzing the latest quantitative and qualitative research, disregarding questionable data while using only the very best research to provide only evidence-based medicine to their patients.
This is the reason why, just like a physician, family nurse practitioners can practice independently in primary-care medicine in Arizona. Registered nurses already have years of medical experience and direct contact with their patients and their patients’ families before they return to academia for advanced education and clinical experience to become family nurse practitioners.
“I believe this gives us a unique and important perspective as we work with you to heal and maintain your health in the compassionate and caring manner of a nurse while using our knowledge and expertise as a provider,” Paslay said. “My heart guided me to a career in nursing after significant contemplation of how I can best serve those in need.”
She added, “My role models include Mother Teresa, who gave so much of herself to the suffering people of the world; Florence Nightingale, who cared for wounded soldiers and created nursing theory; and Dr. Jonas Salk, who dedicated his life to eradicating debilitating diseases.”
Paslay is also proud to be part of the nursing profession that, since 2001, has ranked as the No. 1 profession in honesty and ethical standards in the United States (Williamson, 2016).
She graduated with honors from Grand Canyon University, obtaining her Bachelor of Science in nursing, Master of Science in nursing and family nurse practitioner. In addition, she is currently working on her doctorate to become a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Grand Canyon University, which will be completed October 2018.
In her time spent at the Mayo Clinic Hospital (Phoenix campus), she was very fortunate to refine her medical skills working with and learning from some of the best practitioners in the world at one of the highest-ranked solid-organ transplant units in the United States (Mayo Clinic, 2017).
Paslay immigrated to the United States after marrying her husband, a United States Marine, in 1999.
“I’m very proud and feel extremely fortunate to have been allowed to become a United States citizen,” she said. “It’s an honor I’ll never take for granted.”
Paslay lives, works, plays and worships in Prescott, Arizona.
“I love the people of Prescott, and as their primary-care provider, I will utilize my excellent assessment, diagnosis, treatment-plan development, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic intervention and preventive health-care skills – employing thorough diagnostic and laboratory interpreting abilities while using my experience in quantitative and qualitative research critiquing skills in translating the latest evidence into practice – to bring them the best compassionate and evidence-based health care available,” Paslay said.
If you are seeking a new primary-care practice where doctors are accessible by phone 24/7, call MORE MD. MORE MD is located at the Crossing’s offices at 3108 Clearwater Dr. and they are taking new patients. Office hours are Monday through Saturday. MORE MD takes nearly all insurances other offices do not accept. You can contact MORE MD at 928-216-3160.