Theresa Medicus
Baltimore,MD
Summary
A seasoned Family Nurse Practitioner with experience in internal medicine, urgent care / emergency medicine, addiction medicine and pain management. This provider, versed in treating both adults and children, is looking to expand her skills and knowledge through further work in addiction medicine. With background originally as an emergency department nurse, this provider has achieved many accomplishments including independently opening and operating a new pediatrics clinic while serving roles at Johns Hopkins International as Family NP, case manager and clinical director simultaneously.
Experienced with comprehensive family care, ensuring holistic and individualized patient treatment. Utilizes advanced clinical skills to perform diagnostic assessments and develop effective care plans. Strong understanding of patient education and health promotion.
Professional nurse practitioner equipped to make significant impact in family healthcare. Skilled in patient assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, with strong focus on evidence-based care and patient education. Known for collaborating effectively with healthcare teams and adapting to changing clinical environments. Strong communicator with compassionate approach, ensuring optimal patient outcomes and satisfaction.
Overview
3
3
Languages
1
1
Certification
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
Empatia Palliative Care
07.2025 - Current
- Provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to individuals with serious, chronic, and life-limiting illnesses, focusing on symptom management, comfort and quality of life. Manage patients with an 18 month or less prognosis; providing supportive care for symptom management, evaluating symptom burden, tracking progressive decline or improvement and documenting appropriately.
- Facilitating Goals of Care Discussions for patients at every step of palliative process, advance care planning, and shared decision-making with patients and families / caregivers, ensuring care aligns with their values, preferences and treatment goals.
- Assess and manage complex symptoms including pain, dyspnea, nausea, anxiety, fatigue and other disease-related concerns. Educate patients and caregivers regarding disease progression, symptom control, medication management, and available supportive services.
- Advocate for patients and families by referring and connecting them with various community resources such as Dept of Social Services programs for in home aides
- Assisting patients and families to complete Advanced Care Planning documents as well as making decisions pertaining for care management, end-of-life pre-planning, and also providing clinical and administrative matters.
- Strong collaboration with referring providers, namely PCPs, Specialists, and Hospital Palliative Teams as well as other disciplinary teams namely physicians, nursing staff, social workers, chaplains, hospice providers and other healthcare professionals to coordinate holistic care.
- Managing patient’s palliative symptoms such as pain, nausea, lack of appetite, poor sleep, depression, anxiety, etc and optimizing their Quality of Life.
- Facilitating Goals of Care Discussions for patients at every step of palliative process, advance care planning, and shared decision-making with patients and families / caregivers, ensuring care aligns with their values, preferences and treatment goals. Support patients and families through complex medical decisions, transitions of care, and end-of-life planning with compassion and clinical expertise.
Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Leader
David’s Loft Clinical Programs
09.2022 - 05.2024
- Provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to individuals with serious, chronic, and life-limiting illnesses, focusing on symptom management, comfort and quality of life.
- Assess and manage complex symptoms including pain, dyspnea, nausea, anxiety, fatigue and other disease-related concerns.
- Conduct comprehensive health assessments, develop individualized treatment plans, and monitor patient responses to therapeutic interventions.
- Served as primary provider managing patients’ substance use disorders utilizing medication-assisted treatments: Determining / Recommending dosing orders or changes in treatment as necessary.
- Close case management, appropriately referring patients to outside specialists, as well as partnering closely with internal providers such as therapists, substance abuse counselors and psychiatric providers.
- Consulting CRISP and PDMP review for all patients particularly new incoming patients. Conducting thorough biopsies of all pertinent patient history both from a chronic-care standpoint as well as substance use disorder management.
- Partnered closely with city health department for public health matters such as coordinating clinic vaccine drives for patients and staff as well as communicating all reportable communicable conditions (i.e. HIV, syphilis, etc.).
Nurse Practitioner Part time / Weekend Support
Patriot Urgent Care (via LMN Health Locums)
08.2022 - 12.2023
- Caring for patients and families’ urgent care needs in ambulatory settings at various clinic locations in the Baltimore and DC region. Coordinating care with ancillary staff, i.e. medical assistants and radiology technicians. Making diagnoses based on patient presentation, lab / radiology results, assessment findings and providing a plan of care.
- Providing patient and family education regarding disease process, drug treatment, follow up recommendation, etc. Making appropriate referrals, etc. Managing urgent care conditions such as fractures, dislocations, lacerations, STIs, muscle strains, URIs, strep throat, nausea/vomiting, UTIs, etc.
Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Leader for Turning Point Clinic and Fayette House for Women
Clinical Medical Development Systems (CMDS)
07.2021 - 06.2022
- Managing patients as the primary care provider for chronic conditions as well as acute illnesses in both inpatient and outpatient settings; independently directing patient care (Conducting history and physical examinations of new intake patient assessments & follow up patients, ordering all treatments, labs, imaging, follow up appointments).
- Managing both new and follow-up maintenance patients with Opioid Use Disorder utilizing Medication-Assisted Treatment, namely Suboxone and Methadone.
- Close case management, appropriately referring patients to outside specialists, physical/occupational therapy, as well as psycho-social referrals including therapists, psychiatric/mental health providers, 12-step groups, general support groups, non-profit organizations, government agencies, food banks, etc.
- Providing extensive patient education in support of achieving and maintaining optimum health as well as disease prevention; both in individual patient appointment sessions as well as in group settings.
- Managing patients’ substance use disorder utilizing medication assisted treatments and determining/ recommending dosing orders or changes in treatment as necessary; Consulting CRISP and PDMP review for all patients particularly new incoming patients.
- Partnering closely with addictions counselors, case managers, Psychiatric & Mental Health providers, house managers and Program Director to providing comprehensive, team-based approach to care.
- Assisting patients to fully utilize their health insurance plans to achieve optimal health promotion and disease prevention.
- Directed care (via both primary / urgent care) for residential patients at Fayette House for Women (6 + month inpatient long term stay center for adult females with co-occurring substance abuse disorder and mental health disorders, aka “dual diagnoses”.
Family Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Director of Pediatrics Clinic
Johns Hopkins International
09.2017 - 06.2020
- Managed Johns Hopkins International Clinic’s day-to-day operations including quality control, equipment maintenance, supplies inventory, both provider & staff schedules as well as any HR issues.
- Provided primary care / internal medicine as well as urgent care for International Patients – Adults, Pediatrics and Women’s Health visits. Carried own caseload as well as assisting attending physicians with their caseload.
- Initiated clinical partnership between JHI Clinic and JH Pain Management Team to establish new policies and protocols for managing patients with co-occurring Substance Abuse Disorders (opioid misuse, benzodiazepine misuse, etc.) and various Chronic Pain Disorders.
- Managed Int’l patients with substance use disorders utilizing MATs, namely Suboxone, Vivitrol, and Sublocade, as well as other treatment modalities, in conjunction with connecting patients with addictions treatment and support.
- Trained non-clinical staff (interpreters and concierge team) on the opioid epidemic, proper Narcan use / administration, and overdose prevention for all those who had direct contact with Int’l patients, particularly those prescribed prescription opioids.
- Created and launched concierge medicine service for women’s health services at JHI Clinic providing highly culturally sensitive, patient-centered care as well as extensive patient education for patients being expatriated.
- Assisted with nurse visits (BP checks, Glucose checks, Diabetes Education, Medication Management Education, etc..) in support of attending physicians.
- Case-management for patients from Kuwait, UAE, and for Saudi Aramco-contracted patients, involving direct-admissions, discharge-planning, and outpatient care with DC Embassies and int’l insurance carriers. Acted as liaison between Johns Hopkins and various foreign embassies to best serve international patients’ medical needs, always serving as a representative of the health care system.
- Assisting patients to fully utilize their embassy coverage and at times, private health insurance plans, to achieve optimal health promotion and disease prevention.
- Worked closely with inpatient floor case managers / social workers, attending physicians, physical therapists, and other specialists to provide comprehensive, team-based approach to care and case management.
- Renal Transplant Case Coordinator Role: Evaluated, managed, and coordinated renal transplant cases for Int’l patients (both donors and recipients) according to UNOS standards both pre- and post-transplant. Acted as intermediary between JHI and JH Renal Transplant Team to best serve JHI transplant families.
Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care & Urgent Care Clinics (Weekend Support)
Kent Island Primary & Urgent Care, Anne Arundel Health System
02.2018 - 10.2019
- Directed patient care as PCP and Urgent care provider for both pediatric and adult patient population with for levels of acuity presenting to clinic. Ordered all necessary labs, imaging, in-clinic interventions, prescriptions, specialty referrals, etc.
- Managed on-site clinical operations and patient flow often as the sole provider; worked closely with front desk staff and nursing team on monitoring waiting room and wait times, triage, discharge times and overall flow of patients through clinic.
- Regularly performed routine procedures such as splinting, laceration repairs (administering anesthesia, irrigating, suturing, applying steri-strips or other wound adhesives, follow wound checks, etc.), IV insertion, IV fluid resuscitation, EKG interpretation, Radiology interpretation, etc.
- Correlated care with patient’s regular primary care provider; Provided necessary referrals to specialists & outside resources and correlated patient’s care with specialists to incorporate recommended treatments.
- Provided extensive patient education on various topics, especially safe and appropriate antibiotic use, safe administration of controlled substances, overall health promotion and disease prevention, management of chronic conditions, etc.
- Assisted patients diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder presenting for routine Vivitrol Clinic and injections. Screened incoming patients for level of appropriateness, placed orders, gave IM Vivitrol injections, worked closely with local pharmaceutical representative from Alkermes.
Nurse Practitioner
Express Care Urgent Care Centers
08.2016 - 09.2017
- Independently managed patients of all ages presenting with various illnesses and injuries as an urgent care provider on a multi-disciplinary team.
- Provided safe and timely discharge planning as well as follow up care, making appropriate referrals when needed.
- Intense orthopedic injury management ranging from MVCs and acute fractures, to soft tissue sprain/strains as well as exacerbations of chronic, pre-existing injuries.
- Appropriately referring patients to higher levels of care, namely Emergency departments, when needed. Handling all patient codes and emergencies and
- (part time until Nov 2016, then full time)
Student Nurse Practitioner / RN; later as Nurse Practitioner & Coordinator for Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures, Johns Hopkins Hospital & Sibley Memorial Hospital
Johns Hopkins Occupational Health and Injury Clinic
01.2015 - 10.2016
- Managed bloodborne pathogen / 5-STIX exposure program. Initiated outreach and education to nursing floors to improve knowledge of 5-STIX process as well as differentiation between the various Occupational support clinics (namely The Occupational Health Clinic located at 98 Broadway in the Church Home Professional Bldg., The Occupational Injury Clinic located in Blalock 139, & The Occupational Wellness Clinic located in Phipps building, 3rd floor).
- Collaborated with Infectious Disease attending physicians for HIV / Hep C prophylaxis treatment as well as other post-exposure treatment planning and implementation.
- Close coordination of care with multi-disciplinary team of Orthopedic Surgeons, Chronic Pain Management attending physicians, Physical Medicine & Rehab specialists, Ergonomic specialists, etc. Also worked closely with JH Environment & Safety Department to help prevent employee injuries, illnesses, and exposures.
- Triaged, evaluated, and managed new patients presenting to clinic with work-related injuries or exposures. Provided intense orthopedic care including ordering imaging, applying splints / casts, ordering physical and occupational rehabilitation, pain management treatment, providing patient education on healthier body mechanics to prevent further injury, making appropriate recommendations for time off / disability, and collaborating with nursing team for patients who can work light-duty assignments.
- Provided education programs for various departments on topics such as body mechanics, ergonomics, preventing repetitive-trauma injuries, and defensive workplace management. Advocated for employee safety and training with various management teams; implemented new protocols and initiatives for safer working conditions, healthier work/life balance, improved support from charge nurses and surgeons, increasing employee knowledge & empowerment, and human resource management.
- Assisted with investigation and documentation of workers compensation claims operating closely with WC adjusters, management, and human resources.
- Provided new-employee orientation education sessions for post-exposure procedures, the various occupational assistance clinics on campus, ergonomics for everyday nursing, and overall employee safety regulations.
Nurse Clinician
Chesapeake Medical Staffing, Baltimore MD
02.2012 - 12.2015
- Pediatric acute care nursing, school nursing, etc. Harford County Schools.
- Adult pain management nursing: Procedure room / OR First Assist for sterile technique procedures (blood patches, spinal epidurals w/ fluoroscopy, trigger point injections, steroid injections of various fascia and joints, etc.), National Spine and Pain Centers.
- Pre-op / Pre-Anesthesia, PACU / post-op, Recovery Nursing assignments, Johns Hopkins Outpatient Surgery Centers.
Nurse Clinician (I, II-M/E, III-M/E), President of Adult ED Trauma Committee
Johns Hopkins Hospital Adult Emergency Department
03.2009 - 09.2015
- Charge Nurse in main Adult Emergency Department and EACU for 5+ years; managed 75+ bed dept with average patient census of 150-200+ patients per day.
- Provided time-sensitive, evidence-based emergency nursing skills in various assignments such as Triage, Trauma, Critical Care, Observational Medicine, Urgent Care, Fast Track, and Ophthalmology.
- Precepted and trained both new-graduate and experienced, new-hire nurse clinicians.
- Precepted multiple student nurses in their senior transitional practicum semesters from both Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland schools of nursing.
- Certified Emergency Nurse and member of ENA (Emergency Nurses Association), May 2012 through present.
- Member and later president of the Johns Hopkins Trauma Committee, 2013 – 2015.
Nurse Clinician
Health Care for the Homeless, Baltimore MD
12.2010 - 12.2011
- Managed morning triage system for daily patient walk-in census presenting for care.
- Medication-adherence appointments.
- Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, & Chronic Condition management appointments.
- Direct Observational Therapy appointments for addictions and psychiatry patients.
- Case management with multi-disciplinary team.
- Outreach nursing to several homeless shelters as well as those living outdoors.
- Coordinated weekly health education group classes, diabetes education group classes, and condom distribution program.
Property & Casualty Claims Adjuster: Non-Injury, Bodily Injury, Personal Injury Protection, and Property Coverage for Maryland, DC, Delaware & Virginia Region
Nationwide Insurance, Columbia, MD
Columbia, MD
04.2004 - 03.2009
- Managed jury trial cases along with legal staff; managed and settled internal injury settlements ranging from small claims to Large Loss, Limb Loss, and Fatality cases.
- Arbitration representative for company in both Maryland and Delaware.
- Case management for Delaware and Virginia Personal Injury claims.
- Catastrophe Duty (Property Claims) for losses in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and George during the Hurricane seasons of 2004 (Hurricanes Bonnie, Charlie, Frances & Jean) as well as 2009 (Hurricane Ike).
- Insurance licensed for both injury and non-injury to MD, DC, DE, and VA.
- Referred insured parties for Independent Medical Evaluations when appropriate.
- Coordinated policy issues with subrogation teams, SIU (Special Investigations Unit), and Coverage Quest teams.
- Worked according to Maryland Insurance Commission Guidelines.
Education
Masters of Science - Nursing
Johns Hopkins University
08.2015
Bachelors of Science - Nursing
Johns Hopkins University
05.2008
Bachelors of Science - Psychology, Art History
Frostburg State University
05.2002
Skills
- Clinical proficiency in adult and pediatric care
- Expertise in treating substance use disorders
- Behavioral health strategies
- Effective collaboration with mental health professionals
- Clinical management experience
- Infectious disease management
- Emergency nursing expertise
- Palliative care coordination
- Suturing techniques
- Case management expertise
- Mental health proficiency
- In-depth knowledge of advanced pharmacology
- Radiology interpretation
- Clinical nursing expertise
- Acute care expertise
- Operating room support
- Medical-surgical proficiency
- IV and vascular access expertise
- Telemetry monitoring
Accomplishments
- Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Frostburg State University 2002
Certification
- BOARD CERTIFIED THROUGH AANP OCTOBER 2015 TO PRESENT.
- BLS CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, 2007 - PRESENT
- DEA CERTIFIED DEC 2015 TO PRESENT
- MD CDS CERTIFIED NOV 2015 TO PRESENT
- CRNP-FAMILY LICENSED IN MD 2008-PRESENT
- CRNP-FAMILY LICENSED IN DC 2016 - 2019
- RN LICENSED IN MARYLAND 2008 – PRESENT
- RN LICENSED IN DC 2016 – 2019 NPI PROVIDER SINCE 2015
- CMS (MEDICAID / MEDICARE) PROVIDER SINCE 2016
- CRISP REGISTERED MEMBER 2015 – PRESENT
- CERTIFIED ENA MEMBER FOR TRAUMA & CRITICAL CARE 2012 – PRESENT
- CERTIFIED EMERGENCY NURSE MAY 2012 – PRESENT
- MEMBER OF PSI CHI HONOR SOCIETY MAY 2000 –2002
LANGUAGES
ENGLISH – FLUENT, FIRST LANGUAGE
SPANISH – PROFICIENT, SECOND LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME
RUSSIAN – BASIC (4 YRS OF STUDY)
Interests
PUBLIC HEALTH, READING, TRAVEL, YOGA, BARRE, SWIMMING, RUNNING, TRAIL HIKING, SHOPPING, MEDICAL VOLUNTEERING, MED/SURGICAL MISSIONS ABROAD, GETTING CERTIFIED IN ADDICTIONOLOGY, WOULD LIKE TO ONE DAY PURSUE DNP IN ADVANCED PRACTICE AS WELL AS OBTAIN A POST-MASTER’S CERTIFICATE IN PSYCH/MENTAL HEALTH NP
Timeline
Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner
Empatia Palliative Care
07.2025 - Current
Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Leader
David’s Loft Clinical Programs
09.2022 - 05.2024
Nurse Practitioner Part time / Weekend Support
Patriot Urgent Care (via LMN Health Locums)
08.2022 - 12.2023
Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Leader for Turning Point Clinic and Fayette House for Women
Clinical Medical Development Systems (CMDS)
07.2021 - 06.2022
Nurse Practitioner, Primary Care & Urgent Care Clinics (Weekend Support)
Kent Island Primary & Urgent Care, Anne Arundel Health System
02.2018 - 10.2019
Family Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Director of Pediatrics Clinic
Johns Hopkins International
09.2017 - 06.2020
Nurse Practitioner
Express Care Urgent Care Centers
08.2016 - 09.2017
Student Nurse Practitioner / RN; later as Nurse Practitioner & Coordinator for Bloodborne Pathogen Exposures, Johns Hopkins Hospital & Sibley Memorial Hospital
Johns Hopkins Occupational Health and Injury Clinic
01.2015 - 10.2016
Nurse Clinician
Chesapeake Medical Staffing, Baltimore MD
02.2012 - 12.2015
Nurse Clinician
Health Care for the Homeless, Baltimore MD
12.2010 - 12.2011
Nurse Clinician (I, II-M/E, III-M/E), President of Adult ED Trauma Committee
Johns Hopkins Hospital Adult Emergency Department
03.2009 - 09.2015
Property & Casualty Claims Adjuster: Non-Injury, Bodily Injury, Personal Injury Protection, and Property Coverage for Maryland, DC, Delaware & Virginia Region
Nationwide Insurance, Columbia, MD
04.2004 - 03.2009
Bachelors of Science - Psychology, Art History
Frostburg State University
Bachelors of Science - Nursing
Johns Hopkins University
Masters of Science - Nursing
Johns Hopkins University
TRAVEL
- INDIA
- EGYPT
- EL SALVADOR
- ARGENTINA
- COLUMBIA
- PERU
- URUGUAY
- BRAZIL
- UAE
- SAUDI ARABIA
- QATAR
- KUWAIT
- UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
- WESTERN EUROPE: GERMANY, FRANCE, ITALY, THE NETHERLANDS, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, SWITZERLAND, BELGIUM.
- EXPERIENCE LIVING ABROAD:
- EL SALVADOR 4 MONTHS, 2020
- ENGLAND, UK 1 YEAR, 2000 – 2001
- IRELAND 3 MONTHS, 1996
- EXPERIENCE STUDYING ABROAD:
- UNIVERSITY OF NORTHUMBRIA, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- EXPERIENCE VOLUNTEERING ABROAD:
- PEACE PEOPLE, BELFAST, 1996
Personal Information
Title: FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER