Friday, January 24, 2025
25.0°F

New psychiatric nurse-practitioner at Samaritan Healthcare

CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 5 months AGO
by CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | August 14, 2018 3:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — Mental health nurse-practitioner Teresa Hutsell has joined the staff of Samaritan Healthcare. Hutsell will be a practitioner in the Behavioral Health unit at Samaritan Clinic. She’s been working at the clinic for about a month, she said.

Hutsell said she got involved in psychiatric nursing while she was working at Moses Lake Community Health. One of her jobs at the community health clinic was as the nurse for the psychiatric nurse-practitioner, the only one in the county at the time, who saw patients at the facility two days per week.

Grant Integrated Services recruited her when its program was expanded, she said. She worked at GIS for 19 years, the last three as a psychiatric nurse-practitioner. Her husband urged her to take nurse-practitioner training, she said.

“I love it. I love with working with mental health outpatients and seeing their lives change,” she said.

Medical treatment is changing, moving toward a system where people get mental health treatment at the same time and place they receive treatment for physical ailments. Hutsell said that’s a good development. Patients had a hard time getting treatment for mental health problems when they were getting treated for physical ailments. “You had to go somewhere else to get (treatment).”

Hutsell was introduced at the July 31 Samaritan commission meeting, and was asked about the biggest challenge going forward. She said it’s that disconnect between mental and physical health. There are psychiatric nurse-practitioners in town, therapists and other mental health professionals, and they’re all busy. “There are more than enough patients in Grant County.” But most primary care physicians didn’t have mental health professionals available for consultation.

Family medicine physician Andrea Carter said the presence of Hutsell on the staff allows primary care doctors to start treatment while patients are waiting for appointments with a mental health professional.

Hutsell is a graduate of the nursing program at Big Bend Community College, and is a Moses Lake native. “Born and raised,” she said. She is a “board-certified advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner through Gonzaga University and an advanced registered nurse practitioner.”

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.

MORE IMPORTED STORIES

Women's health focus of forum at Samaritan
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 6 years, 3 months ago
New mental health counselor at Samaritan
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 3 years, 4 months ago
Samaritan commissioners review 2018 budget
Columbia Basin Herald | Updated 7 years, 2 months ago

ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER

Fed. Judge issues order delaying stop on birthright citizenship
January 24, 2025 2:20 a.m.

Fed. Judge issues order delaying stop on birthright citizenship

OLYMPIA — A Seattle-based federal judge granted a request from the Washington Attorney General’s Office for a temporary restraining order to delay an executive order that could reinterpret the rules of birthright citizenship issued by President Donald Trump. U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour issued the restraining order Thursday, two days after the AG’s office had filed suit.

4 officers join Quincy PD
January 24, 2025 2:10 a.m.

4 officers join Quincy PD

4 officers join Quncy PD

Classes, research results, latest tech at 2025 Washington-Oregon Potato Conference
January 17, 2025 1 a.m.

Classes, research results, latest tech at 2025 Washington-Oregon Potato Conference

KENNEWICK — Farmers can learn about new methods to fight insects and disease, water use and management, work rules and market conditions at the annual Washington-Oregon Potato Conference Jan. 28 to 30 at the Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 Grandridge Blvd., Kennewick. Along with the classes and workshops – and a baked potato bar – the conference offers a trade show that fills not one but two buildings. The Washington Potato Commission, one of the sponsors, estimated there would be more than 165 exhibitors. The trade show opens Jan. 28, which is the first day of workshops and classes. Some classes provide continuing education credits that can be applied toward pesticide application license requirements.