Neura members can now book video appointments with Vanessa Nguyen, FNP

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Vanessa Nguyen, FNP, is a dedicated Nurse Practitioner with over 10 years of nursing experience in neurology, including several years in outpatient neurology and prior experience in the neuro ICU. She specializes in the evaluation and management of migraine, dementia, and other neurological conditions. Vanessa is committed to compassionate, evidence-based, patient-centered care, with a focus on listening to patients, understanding their goals, and improving overall quality of life.

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Video Transcript:

I'm Vanessa Nguyen, nurse practitioner. I've been doing outpatient neurology for about four years now. Before this, I was actually a nurse for about seven years in the neuro ICU, and before that, I had a degree in neuroscience, so I've always been really fascinated by neurology.

What is your special interest within your specific field?

My favorite is migraine and dementia. I was first trained in migraine and dementia, so I have a soft spot in neurology for those two conditions.

What is your approach to treating patients?

My approach to treating patients is fairly individualized. Whenever a patient comes to me, I always want to figure out what their goal is for treatment. So if they are focused on treatment, or mostly they just want to be heard, I just want to be able to be in alignment with whatever they're searching for.

What do you think patients need the most?

I think patients need the most access to care, which is what drew me to neuro in the first place. And secondly, I think patients need to have a provider who is willing to listen to whatever they have for concerns.

What does patient-first care mean to you?

Patient-first care matters to me because a lot of times, as providers, we see patients as a clinical diagnosis, and in some cases, even in the hospital, as a room number. So when we really listen to the patient about who they are, I think it allows us as providers to see patients as patients and people. So it allows for a better connection and all kinds of better healthcare overall.

Do you have a chronic condition, or does someone close to you have a chronic condition?

I do not have a chronic condition, but my grandma is actually suffering from dementia, so that kind of holds a close place in my heart. I do love how there's a new wave of medicine and new treatments coming out for dementia, so that gives me hope, and, you know, being a part of this change is going to be very helpful for patients going forward. When I support her, it's more of an empathetic standpoint. So I always want to listen to her, you know, hear her concerns. Sometimes her concerns don't exist. Right? So some of her ideologies are hallucinations. But as long as I'm there with her in the present, that's kind of what matters to me and to her. And then we can share that moment. And I think that's a big part of healthcare that we're missing, alongside the formal medication and diagnosis.

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