Catherine Tanner

Programs and Courses Taught

MSN Family Nurse Practitioner
MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Online

Didactic courses and clinicals in both the on-ground and online FNP programs.
Professional Role Advocacy, Family Center Advanced Practice Nursing, Advanced Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, and Care of Acute & Episodic Conditions and all 3 clinical levels.

About Me

I have been a practicing APRN in Family Practice since 2006. I like emphasizing prevention with my patients and I see all age groups in my practice, including women’s health. I have been teaching with SMU since 2007 part –time and currently full time faculty since 2015. I am completing my Doctoral studies this Fall and am a board member of the local California Association of Nurse Practitioners.  In my spare time, I like to hike and paddle board. I head to the Sierras twice a year to sleep late, hike and take in nature. I enjoys quiet time with friends, family and my cat. I was a studio art minor back in the day so I enjoy being crafty; I make jewelry, I paint, and make stained glass. I love seeing live music and community theater. I still love learning and attend CME conferences as able, including local talks like City Arts & Lectures.

Education

I have been a practicing APRN in Family Practice since 2006. I graduated from Samuel Merritt College with an MSN FNP and have been primarily working in Primary Care community health setting and the under-served populations within Contra Costa and Solano Counties. I have also worked with University Health Services Primary Care at UC Berkeley since 2012, affording me experiences in the sub-specialty of adolescent health. My clinical experiences through Faculty Practice site include Primary Care Family Practice and Internal Medicine.
For the 10 years prior to nursing school, I practiced as an Occupational Therapist in Acute/ sub-acute and long –term care rehab, having graduated from SJSU in 1996.
Since 2017, I have been working on her Doctorate in Nursing Practice, with focus on practice policy. My project is ‘Increasing HPV immunizations in the 19-26 yo through a social media campaign”. 

Teaching Interests

I enjoy sharing with students not just the medicine parts of practice, but the seemingly obscure, benign complaints that we commonly see that will take longer than thought to chart on. 

I have a strong background in Ortho stemming from my OT background and enjoy teaching it clinically.

I believe teaching is about building a knowledge base along with the utilization of resources so that a novice NP can manage anything that they see in clinic.
I love mentoring students and networking with them to improve current practice and establish opportunities for the future.

Scholarly Interests

Inter-professional community activities with students
Increasing community access to health knowledge and care

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

California Association of Nurse Practitioners -CANP
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners - AANP
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society
Samuel Merritt College Alumni Association
San Jose  State University Alumni Association

Community Service

I am an active leader in the community service area with FNP students. Annually I taking students to San Ysidro with the Podiatry students for an inter-professional experience screening and treating adults at the border. I am lead faculty for the Allen Temple Health Fair, where advanced NP students provide pre-sport participation physicals and health checks to the Oakland community every August.

I work annually in November with fellow NP's in the community and LifeLong Clinic in Richmond to provide flu shots to the under and uninsured.

I have been the local CANP President 2010-2013 and am currently back on the board as Co-Secretary.

Honors & Awards

2005 & 2018 - Samuel Merritt College, Sigma Theta Tau 
1996 - San Jose State University, Cum Laude