Certified Nurse Practitioner in Geriatrics
Megan Danielson has been taking care of seniors almost all of her life.
“It started with helping care for my grandparents, who lived next door to us,” recalls Megan, who grew up in Delano, where she resides with her husband, three children, a dog and three cats on a small hobby farm just outside of town. “Later, when I was considering a nursing career, I worked as a certified nursing assistant in a long-term care facility. I loved hearing all the wonderful stories, and that was when I realized what a tremendous need there was for nurses who specialize in geriatrics.
Today, her goal is to monitor and manage patients’ chronic diseases, maintain their comfort and quality of life, and help them maximize their independence. Communication is an important part of her job: When family members are unable to be present at an appointment, Megan keeps everyone apprised through regular phone calls or emails.
“Since we opened Consultative Health and Medicine, many of the patients I’ve served have referred other patients or family members to us. What a compliment it is to know that someone I have cared for thinks highly enough of our approach and the medical care we provide to recommend us to their friends and family members. That’s the ultimate compliment!
“It also is very rewarding to be able to follow a patient through the continuum of care – to be able, for example, to move a patient to a higher level of care in order to avoid a trip to the emergency room or stay in the hospital. Visiting with patients in their own home also makes such a difference. You can learn a lot about someone from their surroundings, and from receiving the insights of caregivers and family members.”
A graduate of Delano High School, Megan received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, where she was a member of the women’s softball team, and earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She served as a student nurse intern and then as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Methodist Hospital before becoming a certified nurse practitioner in 2007. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, International; the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and the American Geriatric Society.
Living on a hobby farm means the Danielson family has plenty of space for both flower and vegetable gardens. They also enjoy the dill pickles and salsa they put up. Recently, they tried their hand at raising chickens.
When she isn’t volunteering in the classroom or as a coach at the school her children attend, Megan enjoys running, playing the piano, spending weekends at the family cabin and escaping to Mexico with her grandparents, parents and extended family each winter.