How to Operationalize Your Transition to Practice Program

Elizabeth Helms, APRN, FNP-BC

Director Advanced Practice Leadership Council | Family Nurse Practitioner | Ascension Primary Care Union City Ascension St. Vincent

Elizabeth Helms, APRN, FNP-BC received her B.A. in Physics at DePauw University and her R.N. and Master of Science in Nursing from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston MA. As a participant in the National Health Service Corp. loan repayment program she came to practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner for Ascension St. Vincent Randolph Hospital in 1996.

In the 25 years she has been employed by Ascension St. Vincent she has been awarded numerous grants to initiate local programming. She was recognized by the National Health Service Corps as the 1999 Nurse Practitioner of the Year and in 2003 she was awarded the Indiana Nurse Practitioner of the Year Award by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Currently Elizabeth is an active participant on the grassroots legislative committee of the Coalition of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Indiana working to modernize legislation that affects Advanced Practice Nurses in the State of Indiana and she co-chairs their annual education conference. Her most recent professional focus is promoting the role of advanced practice providers within Ascension.

In 1995 she spearheaded the development of the Advanced Practice Leadership Council for Ascension Medical Group (AMG) Indiana, becoming its first Director and is the first Advanced Practice Registered Nurse to serve on the Ascension Medical Group Board of Directors. Building on this leadership team she next turned to transitioning new APPs into practice with the launch of the APP Primary Care Fellowship in 2021. Elizabeth is working on a national strategy with Ascension.