Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
Amber Harrell knew from the time she was a little girl that she wanted to be a nurse, and that career has led her back to her alma mater as the women’s health provider for the UCA Student Health Center (SHC).
“Women’s health is definitely my dream job,” Harrell said. “I love working here and being able to connect with the patients. I feel like they need somebody who is going to sit down and talk to them and educate them.”
Harrell is a mother of three: Lauren Scroggins, a senior at Conway High; Jackson Harrell, a fifth grader at Carl Stuart Middle School; and Sophia Harrell, a third grader at Jim Stone Elementary. She is married to Seth Harrell, a UCA graduate who is a physical therapist in Conway.
A third-generation nurse originally from Helena, Harrell went to high school in Morrilton and earned her bachelor’s in nursing from UCA in 2002. After five years as an RN at Conway Women’s Health Center, she chose to return to school, and she finished her Master of Science in Nursing in December 2010 before being hired in January 2011 as a board-certified family nurse practitioner.
“One of my clinical sites was at the UCA Student Health Center with (former nurse practitioner and center director) Candace Welcher,” Harrell said. “I loved the clinic from the time I was a student, and once I graduated, I applied, went for an interview, and somehow I convinced them to hire me.”
Shortly after she was hired, the Women’s Health Clinic position opened, and she’s been a natural there ever since.
“Because I’ve always loved women’s health, I took that spot as women’s health nurse practitioner,” she said.
The Women’s Health Clinic, located on the second floor of the SHC, is a far cry from the limited services offered in the previous location in the basement of Bernard Hall. Harrell said Welcher and former SHC assistant director Christie McCrory had the vision for the state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2007.
“Candace wanted a space dedicated to women’s health to allow it to be more private,” Harrell said. “That’s why she envisioned it on the second floor.”
Patients check in at the first-floor reception area before going upstairs to see Harrell and Janet Branscum, LPN, for services such as routine health exams including PAP smears, breast exams, pelvic exams, other diagnostic lab tests, birth control, screening for sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and various other women’s health needs and education.
“We’re busy,” Harrell said. “We’re booked up a couple of weeks in advance. We do a lot of birth control consults, annual well women’s exams, breast exams, and we teach students how to do their own, and we treat common gynecological problems.”
She sees 16 appointments on Mondays and eight every morning, Tuesday through Friday. Tuesday through Friday afternoons are held for primary care patients or emergencies.
Use of the facility has more than doubled since the Women’s Health Clinic opened in 2007. According to information from the SHC staff, the Women’s Health Clinic served, on average, 198 patients per month in 2014.
“Some of them come in and know exactly what they are wanting or needing, and others have been sheltered and don’t know all the services out there or what they need for their own personal women’s health needs,” Harrell said. “We do a lot of education as well and try to teach them about safety and taking care of themselves.” “I feel like we have something extra special.” Her patients, it seems, feel the same way about her.
“Amber Harrell has done an exceptional job as the women’s health provider for UCA SHC,” said Rochelle McFerguson, director of the Student Health Center. “I have had many students state that they use our Women’s Health Clinic and think that Amber is ‘awesome.’ They often refer to her as being very patient, kind and gentle. They feel at ease with her and the rest of the staff. I am so proud of the work that Amber and Janet do in women’s health.” The Women’s Health Clinic is just one part of UCA’s Student Health Center, which also offers treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, treatment of some chronic illnesses, allergy injections and physical examinations, as well as immunizations and vaccines and lab and X-ray services.
Dr. Randy Pastor is the medical director and four other advanced practice registered nurses are on staff.
“There is so much we offer that even as a student I didn’t realize,” Harrell said. “It’s amazing. I think the students are so lucky to have this. Not all campuses offer what we do.” She said the Student Health Center staff was united in its dedication to the UCA community.
“We all work together for the common goal of providing excellent health care to our students, faculty and staff,” Harrell said. “From the business office, to the lab, to the nurses and providers, we are all a team, and that team effort is what makes UCA Student Health such a great place.”