2024 APNA Award for Excellence in Practice – APRN
Helen Rodriguez-Romanacce, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-C
Nominated by Cathleen Kealey, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, APHN-BC
Helen Rodriguez-Romanacce began her career working in the flourishing hospitality industry in Puerto Rico, for organizations such as the Ritz-Carlton. During this time, she received high-level training to learn how to make guests feel understood; explain complex information in a clear and empathetic way; be adaptable and problem solve; and build emotional intelligence – all transferable skills that would position her well to provide compassionate care as a future psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP).
Following the completion of her Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Nursing Science (BSN) degrees, Helen began working in rural areas with the Florida Department of Health. She found an asset in being bilingual, helping to quickly establish a trusting dynamic with Spanish-speaking patients and their caregivers alike.
Helen completed a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program focusing on general family practice and metabolic disorders and took on dual roles as an adjunct faculty member at Florida Atlantic University and caring for underserved populations in a community-based clinic managed by nurse practitioners. At the clinic, Helen was inspired to focus on working with neurologically compromised patients.
Helen shares, “With this pivot, I found myself working with groundbreaking treatments for chronic neurological dysfunction – like tumor necrosis factor alpha blocking agents. This work provided opportunities to assess and treat patients throughout the world and publish my work.” In her role as an expert in neuroinflammation after acute/chronic brain injury, Helen co-authored multiple peer-reviewed articles and a book chapter on this topic, contributing to the current state of evidence and nursing knowledge. Through Helen’s work, one common theme emerged – caregiver burden. She explains,
“Neurologically compromised patients require different ongoing levels of care, typically absorbed by immediate caregivers. I found myself counseling caregivers, listening to their challenges and difficulties. These experiences shaped my Doctor of Nursing Practice project focused on culturally-tailored support for caregivers of people with dementia.”
Helen’s excellence in working with patients and caregivers from vulnerable communities is evident in her expertise in culturally competent support for those with Hispanic heritage experiencing dementia. She developed and implemented a community-based caregiver support program as part of Florida Atlantic University’s Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center’s $1.3 million grant from the Administration on Aging (AoA). Her project outcomes have been presented in multiple nursing conferences with the aim to replicate caregiver support programs within other Spanish-speaking communities.
Working in this specialized area made Helen realize she should expand her behavioral health skills. She found the answer in a PMHNP program, explaining, “My path was not linear, but becoming a PMHNP brought me to a stimulating field that I love, where I can continuously grow and refine my skills.”
Beginning work for the Veterans Administration (VA), to support veterans like her grandfather, fulfilled a lifelong goal. Helen began working with a very complex set of patients, treating those with serious mental illness (SMI). Over the past 5 years at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA), Helen has worked with veterans living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.
The Miami VA has been transformed by Helen’s work. Her efforts have reduced total program specific hospital psychiatric care days from 364 down to 268 days and improved veteran satisfaction rates – which leapt to 97%, outperforming the national measure. Her work has increased veteran and caregiver quality of life while reducing feelings of demoralization and failure among veterans, their caregivers, and behavioral health staff through reducing hospitalization rates and providing more timely treatment.
Helen has also made a significant impact on the delivery of PMH nursing care. She implemented innovative strategies to improve the efficiency of electronic medical record documentation, which reduced documentation time for providers, and led to a decrease in staff turnover. By introducing coordinated community patient care visits, Helen improved access to care and reduced travel days for providers. She also expanded the training of her team by adding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for anxiety, Social Skills Training (SST) for patients with SMI, and culturally appropriate approaches to their skillsets.
Demonstrating her commitment to sharing innovative clinical knowledge and passion for encouraging life-long learning, Helen explains, “In our field, it’s vitally important to be self-driven, keep our skills on point, and improve our craft.”
An influential role model at the Miami VA, Helen serves on the Retention and Recruitment Workgroup and helped to create and serve on the APRN Committee/Council Charter of Shared Governance which provides leadership, mentorship, and advocacy for APRNs working at the VA. And, as the first Daisy Award winner for excellence in nursing at the Miami VA, Helen now champions the annual continuation of this award to recognize Miami VA staff.
Helen shares, “Providing care for persons with serious mental illness is a calling requiring resilience and a hopeful, unwavering belief in the potential for recovery for those with SMI. The important thing is to stay curious, keep learning, and leverage your expertise. It’s a challenging, yet incredibly fulfilling career that allows you to make a meaningful impact on the lives of others.”