NPower Healthcare: APRNs & APPs Improving Access to Quality Healthcare

Host Deb Tedesco interviews Dr. Dawn Mutchko about how evidence-based practice, quality improvement, education, and leadership help nurse practitioners and advanced practice providers expand access to care. They discuss real-world barriers like transportation, cost, health literacy, trust and practical solutions like telehealth, clinic redesign, and APP-led programs.
The episode highlights the APP role in leading system change, preparing future clinicians, and simple actions listeners can take: ask about barriers, use data to measure impact, and engage in community-centered care.

Host Deb Tedesco speaks with Dr. Chris Saslo about the Volusia Free Clinic’s work providing primary care, specialty referrals, and support to uninsured Floridians, highlighting barriers to care and the clinic’s patient-centered impact.
The episode explores how nursing leadership, community partnerships, and advocacy can expand access to care and encourages listeners to volunteer or visit www.volusiafreeclinic.com to learn more.

In this episode host Deb Tedesco speaks with Dr. Deirdre Krause about faith community nursing; how registered nurses integrate clinical care with spiritual and community support to help people navigate the healthcare system and stay healthy.
They discuss the nurse’s roles as educator, advocate, and connector, how programs are built in congregations and communities, and practical steps listeners can take to support or become involved in faith community nursing.

In this episode of NPower Healthcare, host Deb Tedesco speaks with Dr. Cary Pigman, one of the legislators who championed HB607, and Dr. Monica Barfield, an NP practice owner, to clarify the intent and real-world implementation of Florida's autonomous nurse practitioner law passed in 2020.
They discuss why the law focused on increasing primary care access, the rationale for the 3,000-hour requirement, ongoing oversight by the Board of Nursing, and how the law has functioned in practice, while also exploring next steps for expanding access to behavioral health.

This episode of NPower focuses on a recap of the 2026 AANP Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., where Florida nurse practitioners led Hill visits, mentored students, and translated complex federal policy into clear, patient-centered advocacy. Leaders Ivonne Johnson, Mark Fonseca, and Monica Barfield share lessons on stewardship, systems thinking, and coalition-building.
Listeners learn how federal rules affect access, workforce sustainability, and care delivery in Florida, plus an urgent call to comment on the Department of Education proposal by March 2, 2026.

NPower host Deb Tedesco, moderator Arlene Wright, VP of Legislation for FNPN, and nurse practitioner leaders and advocates, Monica Barfield and Elizabeth Winings discuss HB 301, proposed Florida legislation to expand autonomous practice authority for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, aiming to improve access to behavioral health services. 

NPower Host Deb Tedesco interviews nurse practitioner Ruthi Estabrook about her work founding TrustPoint Primary Care and challenging a Medicaid network denial by documenting how provider directories fail real patients.
The episode explores how closed or inaccessible networks harm chronic-disease care, how panel cancellations devastate relationships and livelihoods, and why access must be measured by lived experience and not spreadsheets.

NPower Healthcare's Deb Tedesco sits down with Dr. John Rothwell, DNP, APRN, to explore his path from military medic to owner of a successful direct primary care clinic. They discuss the DPC membership model, DNP leadership, and how nurse practitioners can build relationship-driven, accessible care.
Rothwell also shares his community work with Matthew's Hope, lessons from rugby and service, and practical advice for NPs pursuing practice ownership and sustainable entrepreneurship.

NPower host, Deb Tedesco interviews nurse practitioner Natalie Tyler about ThriveWell Medical Center in Immokalee, Florida,  an NP-led clinic serving a medically underserved community that faces widespread insurance credentialing denials and closed panels, causing delayed care and travel burdens for patients.

In this episode of NPower Healthcare, a Florida mother, Vanessa Mahai, shares how an insurance company’s termination of her sons’ nurse practitioner, Elizabeth Barger, abruptly cut off trusted, ongoing care for her children,  one with ADHD and anxiety and the other recently diagnosed with autism.
The conversation highlights the emotional and medical consequences of losing a dedicated provider, the importance of continuity of care, and calls on listeners to advocate for families and nurse practitioners affected by insurance decisions.