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Karen Menser, CRNP

1. What is your specialty?
I am a board certified family nurse practitioner and my specialty is women’s health. For over 10 years I have worked in an OB/GYN setting, caring for women in all stages of life. I have an immense love for women’s health and want to do everything possible to make them feel comfortable and cared for. Although I have worked in and enjoy every aspect of this specialty, I feel that menopause, infertility, and adolescents are more of the sub-specialty that I have had additional education and experience with.

2. Why did you want to become a nurse practitioner?
I have always wanted to further my education by becoming a nurse practitioner. Since I was a child, I had a primary care provider always take the best care of me and it made me so happy to have someone that I could trust and develop a relationship with. So that is exactly what I wanted to become, because I want to be the one that patients look forward to seeing and are able to find comfort in knowing that they will have the best care possible. I believe that it means the world to patients to see a provider they trust, one that helps to explain various health related concerns and one that takes the time to listen to them and that type of provider is who I am.

3. What is one aspect of the job that you find rewarding?
I think that it is extremely rewarding when patients tell you how happy they are that you have successfully treated or resolved their health concerns and that they are not nervous about coming to their appointments because of the genuine care and concern shown. This area, whether it be Somerset or Cambria County, is very close knit. We all care about each other and there is usually always some sort of connection between provider and patient that you cannot find anywhere else; this makes relationships with patients much more meaningful, which I love.

4. In your opinion, what is the future of your field?
The future of nurse practitioners will continue to expand and develop into many more areas of health care. Nurse practitioners are doing and learning more now than ever before, even owning and operating their own practices. We are constantly evolving and continuing to be a large asset to our patients in this rapidly changing healthcare environment. In 2015, I became a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) which has allowed me to branch out more into the field of the most up-to-date research in women’s health, diversity, and clinical education. Being able to combine that caring field of nursing, plus that advanced medical education and clinical experience to develop a nurse practitioner is priceless.

5. What do you do to achieve work/life balance?
Sometimes this can be tricky, but is extremely important. I am married and have three young children who are involved in numerous activities. I also teach for Duquesne University and live on a farm with a small side business. I have a huge love for animals and I have a dog and cat at home. I enjoy watching my children play sports, being involved in their school activities, as well as having time with my friends, hiking, fishing, traveling, and gardening. I believe that being organized, managing time, and setting goals really help with balancing everything. Having family that lives nearby also helps tremendously.