Article by 2023 Utah Top Nurses, Presented by the Salt Lake Tribune
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Samantha Stacks Nurse Practioner, Primary Care, Fourth Street Clinic Nomination: I am writing to nominate Samantha Stacks, a Nurse Practitioner at Fourth Street Clinic. Samantha embodies the true spirit of nursing, consistently going above and beyond to provide exceptional care. She treats the whole person, not only taking time to provide trauma-informed care but giving each person the respect and dignity they deserve. Samantha is a fierce advocate, an empathetic listener, a resourceful problem-solver, and a strong leader.
Samantha received her BSN from the University of Toledo College of Nursing in 2013, followed by a Master of Science and Master of Public Health from Emory University in 2018. She joined Fourth Street Clinic in 2019, bringing with her clinical expertise as a clinic registered nurse, nursing assistant, and Peace Corps Volunteer. Since joining Fourth Street Clinic, she has been vital to the clinic’s mobile clinic, bringing vital health care services to individuals throughout the Salt Lake Valley at homeless resource centers.
In addition to her outstanding clinical skills, Samantha is a natural leader and mentor. She is always willing to lend a helping hand to fellow team members and is highly respected among her peers. She takes on additional responsibilities with ease and is an active participant in quality improvement initiatives within our organization. Samantha illustrates strong intrapersonal skills and is a thoughtful, caring listener. Samantha’s communications skills have made her a key member of our Communications Committee, her attention to detail, critical thinking, ability to handle complex cases with confidence, and patient advocacy are truly commendable.
Samantha also readily takes on leadership roles. She currently is a provider champion for a new project to improve patient outcomes, Azara. This new platform is touted to be the best practice for data-driven analytics, quality measurement, and reporting for the community health and physician practice market.
What sets Samantha apart is her genuine compassion and empathy towards everyone she meets. She creates a supportive environment for patients and their families, providing emotional support and creating meaningful connections. These connections are vital to helping our patients reconnect with healthcare services and empower them to take charge of their health. This is especially true for our female patients as Samantha is the go-to NP for our Women’s Health Days. She is an expert in guiding patients to take charge of their own health by being up to date on vital cancer screenings.
Samantha has a passion for community health and is actively involved in the Asian Association of Utah, assisting our partnership with an organization that supports refugee and immigrant youth and their families.
Samantha is an exceptional Nurse Practitioner who embodies the qualities and characteristics of a Top Nurse. Her dedication to providing excellent care, leadership, and dedication to our community makes her an invaluable asset to our team and the nursing profession as a whole.
I wholeheartedly believe that Samantha is the epitome of a top nurse and fully deserving of the 2023 Top Nurse recognition.
ABOUT FOURTH STREET CLINIC
Fourth Street Clinic began in 1988 as a triage clinic with one part-time nurse; the clinic relied on hospitals for patient treatment. Today, it operates with nearly 90 people on staff with an annual cash budget of $13 million. Fourth Street Clinic addresses health disparities, and the complex needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness by providing comprehensive medical, behavioral health, and dental services through an integrated care model utilizing the principles of Trauma Informed Care. In 2022, health care was delivered to 5,369 men, women, and children in 23,830 visits, which includes 269 virtual encounters. The Fourth Street Clinic Pharmacy dispensed 60,124 prescriptions last year.
Fourth Street Clinic has over 30 years of experience providing services to vulnerable individuals and families. Reducing barriers caused by social determinants of health is key to accessible health care. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s Healthy People 2030, many people in the United States don’t get needed health care services simply due to factors such as a lack of transportation, affordable housing, educational background, or discrimination. Even the neighborhood in which they live can be a barrier to accessing regular health care services. Without insurance, individuals are less likely to have a primary care provider and unable to afford the health care services and medications needed for preventative care and treatment for chronic illness—one in ten people in the US have no health insurance coverage.
Read more about Samantha and all the amazing nominees here.