Jeni Fitzpatrick approaches nursing with sincerity.

Her grandmother served as a nurse, and Fitzpatrick has been a registered nurse (R.N.) for 21 years. She continues to be an R.N. and is currently instructing the discipline she is passionate about to students at Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership.

“I believe this was destined for me,” she remarked. “It includes a leadership aspect, and I get to engage with students, which I truly cherish.”

Inspired by her grandmother’s dedication to patient care, she opted for a health sciences internship class during her high school years.

“Back then, I thought my goal was to become a doctor,” she shared. “Then I witnessed a birth as part of the class and observed the nurses’ roles and realized, ‘Oh, that’s what I aspire to do.’ I appreciated how much time they spent with patients to establish trust.”

She completed a bachelor’s degree followed by a master’s degree in nursing, working as a labor and delivery nurse and unit manager for several years. Additionally, she became a certified sexual assault nurse examiner and forensics nurse, later serving as a legal nurse consultant, testifying as an expert witness in obstetrical malpractice cases.

When Fitzpatrick and her family relocated to Oconee County in 2020 after falling in love with the region during a Southern road trip, she began her role in labor and delivery at Atlanta’s Northside Hospital System. Ultimately, she sought a change — and wanted to eliminate her commute to Atlanta — so she explored opportunities at UGA. She has been serving as the medical partnership’s nurse/teaching clinic operations manager for more than three years.

“This was a completely new position, allowing me ample opportunity to help shape and develop it,” she expressed. “I adore it here. I love being a part of UGA.”

In her position, Fitzpatrick oversees 14 mobile clinics and a school-based health center in Clarke County that provides complimentary care. Notably, the Athens Free Clinic recently achieved the milestone of offering more than $1 million in health care since its establishment in 2018. She supports 14 physicians in the clinics and the 120 medical students who collaborate with them to gain experience.

On an ordinary day, she follows up on patient care, addresses inquiries, and manages administrative responsibilities. The clinics hold significance for medical students as they synthesize all the skills they’ve acquired while serving the community.

“I enjoy being part of the remarkable teamwork that occurs here and observing medical students transition from their initial nervousness to advancing and expanding their knowledge,” she stated. “One of my ambitions is to demonstrate what interdisciplinary teamwork genuinely looks like and how, as a nurse, I can contribute meaningfully. I expose them to nursing before they even enter the clinical arena.”

Fitzpatrick is also directly involved in classroom settings with those students. She delivers a lecture on patient experiences and teaches a procedural skills class that covers topics such as IV initiation, nasogastric tube insertion, and even phlebotomy.

“I relish engaging with students,” she noted. “I get to share some of my nursing techniques with these skills and ensure they feel excited and empowered rather than anxious when they step into the real world.”

Fitzpatrick also established a volunteer initiative for approximately 30 pre-health undergraduate students who provide administrative assistance for the mobile clinics. She offers extensive training to them, covering topics such as HIPAA, scheduling, and the proper management of electronic medical records.

“We wanted the medical students to concentrate on mastering the art of medicine without the burden of patient registration and similar tasks,” she explained. “These volunteers get the chance to participate in the team with our medical students and physicians. It’s a remarkable representation of the pre-health students we have at UGA.”

Teaching is indeed a significant aspect of the nursing profession, Fitzpatrick emphasized, as nurses consistently impart knowledge to their patients. In her hospital roles, Fitzpatrick also trained newer nurses. As her career advanced, she focused more on this teaching component.

“I take pride in being a part of the mission to care for our community,” she remarked.

Fitzpatrick is furthering her education by pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in nursing, concentrating her research on maternal mortality.

Outside of her professional life, Fitzpatrick dedicates as much time as possible to her family, which includes her husband, two children, and two dogs. They enjoy attending UGA baseball games, and Fitzpatrick also engages in watercolor painting. Yet, she always sets aside time to read journal articles.

“I want others to understand the vital role a nurse can fulfill in medical education and what contributions nurses can make,” she stated.

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