Gina M. Jensen, DNP, APRN

What is your practice philosophy? I want to provide personalized care to every patient I see in the hospital instead of just treating the illness, injury, or condition they have. I want to make them feel comfortable, respected, and have an active role in the care planning process.  

What are you passionate about? And why? Military veterans have specific risk factors for psychological distress because of their service. In my career experience, I have seen many veterans needing acute medical and psychological care. As a veteran and the wife of a veteran, I advocate for appropriate and culturally congruent care for our military members. 

If I wasn’t a provider, I would be a: Riding horses or mucking stalls. There is nothing more relaxing and joyful than being outside around animals.  

Why did you become a provider? When did you know this was the career for you? Although I have worked in acute care for many years, I have always been drawn to psychiatry. I have found value in spending time with people cultivating the therapeutic relationship. Psychiatry allows one to listen to others, game plan as a team, and ultimately alleviate suffering. Additionally, as a nurse practitioner, I have the ability to consider medical conditions and medication interactions that can be the root cause of psychiatric symptoms. With my medical background, the psychiatric mental health provider was an obvious fit for me.  

Something I have learned from my patients is: Everyone is doing the best they can. 

One of the challenges of this career that I enjoy is (and why):  Working with children who struggle with mental health is a challenge of this career that I enjoy. This age is amazing because they are so adaptive to change, and they absorb positivity as though they are starving for it.