Jenna Spata, nurse practitioner, knew health care was her calling while she was in Iraq touring.
“I saw a dad carrying his young, injured child and he had walked two days to seek U.S. medical care," Spata said. “I knew when I came home that I wanted to switch career paths from teaching to health care.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus out of Marshfield, Wisconsin and received her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
She has always loved working with children – from starting school, to working as a teacher, working in daycares and most recently working in the Marshfield Children's Hospital pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) as a registered nurse.
“While working in the pediatric ICU in Marshfield, we cared for children of all ages, from a few days old to their 19th birthday. That may come with challenges, but traumas, NICU grads and complex care have always held a place in my heart. When the opportunity came up to continue working with children, I knew that this is where I wanted to be," Spata said.
As a behavioral and developmental nurse practitioner, she will see patients with ADHD, autism, post-trauma and NICU graduates checking developmental milestones and mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression.
“Children are my passion. Kids are so resilient and have so much personality," Spata said. “They teach us to be humble, to remember the little things and the challenges we have faced to become who each of us are today."
She also enjoys working with the children's families.
“When providing care to a child, you are providing care to their whole family. Providing support for both child and family is important for the best outcomes of the child," she said.
She's lived in the Marshfield area since 2007. Spata enjoys spending time with her family and shares if she had more free time, she'd love to do more baking and crafting.