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 that are focused on the mission of educating nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners to deliver quality health care to underserved and rural populations.
After 15 years of clinical experience in a full-scope midwifery practice, FNU graduate Melody Mast, CNM, WHNP, has recently shifted her focus to women’s general health. And in this new chapter, she is partnering with a fellow FNU graduate.
Mast is now the co-owner of Plena Integrative Health Center (IHC) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a clinic established by FNU graduate Tammie McDonald-Brouwer in 2023. McDonald-Brouwer shares not only her FNU alma mater but also a degree from Eastern Mennonite University.
Plena IHC provides comprehensive care for various health issues, including acute respiratory infections, mental health disorders, thyroid problems, weight-loss, hypertension, and early onset diabetes. The clinic’s gynecological services include pap smears, contraceptive counseling, treatment for urinary and vaginal issues, and management of menopause symptoms.
Annual physical exams and thorough lab work are central to the clinic’s preventive care strategy. Additional services include chiropractic care, massage therapy, and counseling. The clinic emphasizes individualized and holistic healthcare plans, incorporating herbal medicine, lifestyle changes, prescription medications, and medical therapies.
“Harrisonburg has experienced a lot of turnover in not only OB providers but also primary care providers,” Mast said. “The goal of this practice is to provide access to primary and gynecological services with a more integrated approach.”
Recently, Plena IHC was named one of the Best Obstetrics/Gynecology Practices in the area by the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg.
“We are providing a compassionate and comprehensive care setting with personalized care,” Mast said.
At Plena IHC, Mast is dedicated to tailoring healthcare plans to individual needs and priorities. Her extensive experience as a Nurse-Midwife and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner contribute to her success, along with other skills, such as her fluency in Spanish. Throughout her career, she has focused on herbal and complementary medicine, mental health throughout the lifespan, and peri and post menopausal care.
“I believe in a holistic and patient-centered approach, with open communication and trust,” Mast said.
Mast graduated from FNU in 2007, earning her MSN – Nurse-Midwifery and Post-Graduate Certificate – Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner. She said she chose FNU because of the university’s emphasis on meeting the needs of students’ local communities, as well as its grassroots history of midwifery.
“I became both a nurse-midwife and a women’s health nurse practitioner because I wanted to care for people throughout the lifespan, not only during pregnancy and postpartum,” she said.
Thank you, Melody, for your extensive work caring for women in your community and for helping ensure FNU’s network of graduates continues to make a difference in healthcare.
To read more alumni stories, visit the FNU Alumni stories page.
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