Frontier Nursing University (FNU) graduate Paul Havrilka III, NP-C uses his nursing education to improve primary care for a very small and underserved tribal population in Alaska.
Paul, who graduated with his Family Nurse Practitioner (Class 94) in 2013, currently serves as a family nurse practitioner at Annette Island Service in Metlakatla, Alaska.
For the past two years, he has helped provide primary care services for the people of Annette Island. The island is named a federal Indian reservation and is home to the Tsimshian people and other native Alaskan tribes.
Paul provides the small community with acute illness and injury care, chronic disease management and preventative health care services.
In this small population of just under 1,500 residents, Paul has instituted several changes to the healthcare system. He has improved diabetic management, added therapeutic classes, added a clinical pharmacist, and now provides patient education on opioid/chronic pain management, reducing the misuse of opioids in the population.
Paul is sensitive to the culture of the island natives. He directed changes in screening mammogram procedures, which were proving a cultural barrier due to all health care providers being male. Now, women may be screened for breast cancer through multiple mammogram clinics.
Amongst his other duties, Paul provides emergency after-hours services as part of the only health care facility on the island.
AISU Health Clinic, Metlakatla, Alaska
Previously a registered nurse and owner/CEO of Backroad Health Care, Paul returned to school to become a family nurse practitioner to help improve quality of life and health for underserved people.
“I chose Frontier Nursing University because of its reputation of quality family nurse practitioners,” said Paul. “Its heritage shows leadership and percussion.”
He continues upholding Frontier’s heritage each day as he serves this rural, tribal population with vigor.
Thank you for representing FNU all the way in Alaska, Paul!
At the heart of Frontier Nursing University is a talented and diverse community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, Couriers and preceptors. Spotlight blogs feature members of our FNU community who are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.
Dr. Tia Brown McNair is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. She oversees both funded projects and AAC&U’s continuing programs on equity, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and student success. McNair directs AAC&U’s Summer Institutes on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, and TRHT Campus Centers and serves as the project director for several AAC&U initiatives, including the development of a TRHT-focused campus climate toolkit. She is the lead author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (January 2020) and Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success (July 2016 and August 2022 Second edition).