Victoria Area Nurse Practitioners - VANP

02/03/2026

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Roles: Snapshot Summary

The four primary roles are:
Nurse Practitioner (NP): Provides primary and specialty care, diagnoses and treats conditions, prescribes medications, and orders diagnostic tests across various healthcare settings. Examples of NPs: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): Specializes in areas like oncology, cardiology, or mental health, focusing on complex patient care, consultation, research, and practice improvement.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): Administers anesthesia for surgical and diagnostic procedures.

Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM): Provides reproductive and gynecological care, specializing in pregnancy, childbirth, and women’s health across the lifespan.

More information: Board Rule: §221.2 9https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?$locale=en_US&interface=VIEW_TAC_SUMMARY&queryAsDate=01%2F22%2F2026&recordId=194149)

02/02/2026

💗February Newsletter💗

01/06/2026

$$$$💵 🌟 Free Money!! 🌟 💵 $$$$
See scholarship opportunity and get those applications in!!

01/02/2026

❄️January Newsletter ❄️

12/01/2025

12/01/2025

❄️🎄December Newsletter🎄❄️

11/15/2025

Both Victoria natives - Sheila Martinka CFNP (left) and Elyana York CPNP (right) relocated back to their home town after years abroad to provide comprehensive pediatric care from birth to young adulthood !

Sheila has expertise in chronic illness management such as asthma, cystic fibrosis as well as urgent care at prior employers such as Texas Children’s Hospital UTMB and Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Elyana’s areas of expertise include post op care primary pediatric care, management of acute/chronic illness in clinic and emergency room at Texas Children’s Hospital, Dell Children’s Hospital, Detar North Women and Children’s and Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Find them at Almouie Pediatric Victoria for all your child’s needs !

11/14/2025

🌟Join us in welcoming Jessica Heller, MSN, FNP-C to DeTar Medical Group Clinic East, located on the campus of Texas A&M University – Victoria. 🌟

Jessica is a seasoned family nurse practitioner with over three decades of experience in both clinical and leadership roles within DeTar Healthcare System. Her commitment to quality, compassionate care makes her an exceptional addition to our DeTar Medical Group team of primary care providers!👩‍⚕️

She’s now accepting new patients, with same-day appointments available.
📅 Schedule online: https://www.mydetardoctor.com/doctors-providers/heller-jessica-msn-fnpc-10239
Or, call 361-305-6500

11/14/2025

✨ Provider Spotlight:

Meet Rachel Shafer, Wound Care, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, and Ostomy Nurse Practitioner at PAM Health Specialty Hospital of Victoria North’s Outpatient Wound Care Clinic.

Rachel is a nurse practitioner specializing in wound care, ostomy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy at PAM Health Specialty Hospital of Victoria North. Rachel is passionate about limb salvage and amputation prevention and has dedicated her career to caring for patients with chronic wounds and ostomies. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing Education with a post-graduate certification as an Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner.

After completing training in 2011 through the Wound Care Education Institute, Rachel became Wound Care Certified through the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy.

She went on to complete more advanced training in wound and ostomy through WebWOC Nursing Education Program at Metropolitan State University followed by an internship at San Antonio Military Medical Center.

In 2013, she earned her Wound and Ostomy Certification through the W.O.C.N. Board. Furthering her education in wound care, Rachel completed training for hyperbaric oxygen therapy in 2014.

From 2014-2019, Rachel worked with multiple amputation prevention centers in the Houston area, honing her skills and focus on patient care using advanced modalities for limb preservation.

In 2019, Rachel moved back to her hometown of Victoria and joined PAM Health to bring her expertise to both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Rachel is dedicated to evidence-based practices and believes that education is key to early detection and intervention in prevention of major amputations.

We are proud to have Rachel’s incredible leadership, passion, and experience on our wound care team here at PAM Health Victoria. Rachel -- your expertise and dedication helps deliver the best possible outcomes for our wound care patients! Thank you for all you do!

11/14/2025

11/14/2025