National Colorectal Awareness Month With Dr. Ricketta Clark, APRN, FNP

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Join me for an informative conversation with Dr. Ricketta Clark, ARPN, FNP as we discuss the vulnerable populations affected by this cancer and the recommended tests and ages for screenings. Dr. Clark talks about her role in gastroenterology, the risk factors for colon cancer, and symptoms. Learn what you can do to decrease your chance of developing colon cancer and if you are a provider, how to educate your patients about colon cancer to optimize their health.

More about Dr. Clark:
Dr. Ricketta H. Clark received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Memphis in 1994. In 1998, she received an MSN as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing (UTHSC CON). Later, Dr. Clark pursued a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, which she earned from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2009.

Dr. Clark began her nursing career in neurosurgery at Baptist Hospital. Later she worked as a medical-surgical/telemetry nurse at Methodist University and Methodist South in Memphis. Upon graduating from the nurse practitioner program at UTHSC CON, she started a career in gastroenterology/hepatology in Memphis. Dr. Clark has practiced in many settings throughout her twenty-two-year career as a nurse practitioner, including primary care. However, GI has been her passion and has spent most of her time in this field. In 2013, she started the first nurse practitioner-led gastroenterology/hepatology clinic at Regional One Health in Memphis that is still in operation today and is where she practices one day a week as her clinical practice site.

Dr. Clark’s previous faculty appointments include the University of Memphis Loewenberg School of Nursing. She also served as a course developer for the Tennessee Board of Regents Online Advanced Health Assessment course. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor with UTHSC CON. Dr. Clark is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, Society of Gastroenterology Nurses Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners where she is on the gastroenterology specialty practice group, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, and National League for Nursing. She is also a member of the Tennessee Nurses Association.

Websites:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/

https://www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/substance-abuse-services/prevention/take-back-box.html

https://www.cvs.com/content/safer-communities-locate

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/safe-opioid-disposal-remove-risk-outreach-toolkit#:~:text=Remove%20the%20Risk%20raises%20awareness,safe%20disposal%20of%20these%20medicines.

https://www.dea.gov/content/partnership-toolbox


Twitter:
@nowhealthful, @Lisa_APRN, @UTHSCnursing

Instagram:
@thatshealthful, @lbeasley0412, @uthscnursing

Hashtags:
#ColonCancer, #colorectalcancer, #bowelcancer, #coloncancerawareness, #colonoscopy, #nursing, #nurses, #nursepractitioner, #np, #FNP, #UTHSC

The “That’s Healthful” podcast is hosted by Dr. Lisa Beasley, a Family Nurse Practitioner, and faculty in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Visit thatshealthful.com for more information or to hear prior episodes. Please follow @nowhealthful on Twitter and thatshealthful on Instagram. Like or comment on an episode wherever you listen or stream your favorite podcasts.

Music for this episode is provided by local Memphis singer, musician, and songwriter – Devan Yanik. For more of Devan’s music visit devanmusic.weebly.com.