New York – “Many chronic health conditions are preventable with proper nutrition, adherence to periodic screenings and taking of medication as advised- leading to longer, healthier lives free of common illnesses.”
This is the view of Jamaican born certified Adult Health Nurse Practitioner Dr. Karlene Lawrence, whose experience in Preventive Medicine spans over two decades at various health centers in New York City and Long Island.
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“Regular screenings for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol as well as breast, prostate and colon cancers can lead to early diagnosis, less complicated treatment options, lower healthcare costs and more successful outcomes if any of these illnesses are diagnosed,” she says. “This is why preventive healthcare and wellness are my passions. Early in my career, I realized that the adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is very accurate and applicable. Preventive healthcare thus became the focus of my practice many years ago and remains so until today.”
Lack of access to affordable healthcare, health insurance company payment constraints, stigmas towards various health conditions and biases against older patients and patients with mental health issues are also problematic at times, says Dr. Lawrence.
“Additionally, the sad reality is that a majority of the world’s population have challenges understanding healthcare discussions or instructions they are given due to low or no literacy. This hinders achievement of desired preventive healthcare goals. And unfortunately, the current United States health system can be complicated and difficult to navigate. This is a long standing and complex issue that requires an immediate solution to ensure that ‘best treatment’ is always the goal for ALL patients.”
Dr. Lawrence was born in St.Thomas, Jamaica, and attended Holy Childhood Preparatory and High Schools in Kingston, before immigrating to the USA at the age of 17.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Molloy College in Rockville Centre with the goal of becoming a Nurse-Midwife, and after obtaining a Midwifery and Women’s Health Graduate degree from New York University, she began practicing in outpatient settings in Queens and Brooklyn.
It was at this juncture that her focus changed.
“I realized that the care of my female patients was incomplete, because I was unable to care for their male partners also. That prompted me to pursue an Adult Nurse Practitioner Post Graduate Certificate. Over time, it became apparent that my true passion was educating patients about illness prevention and achieving wellness, rather than ‘problem focused’ appointments and treating an illness after it was already diagnosed.”
Dr. Lawrence returned to school yet again in 2017 to pursue and ultimately receive a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree from SUNY Stony Brook University in 2019.
In the meantime, she married educator, musician and cultural historian LeRoy Graham Jr, who, in her own words, “stepped up in a major way” to assist with raising their three children while she pursued her academic and professional goals.
Among the many honors she has received during the course of her education and career are The Louis and Rachel Rudin Foundation Scholarship, the New York State Advanced Nursing Education Traineeship Scholarship and the New York State Primary Care Service Corps Scholarship. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Dr. Lawrence is currently the Doctor of Nursing Practice / Nurse Practitioner on a multimillion dollar Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant, from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The goal of the program is to transform the healthcare workforce and community in Brooklyn by establishing a new wellness clinic foradults aged 65 yearsand older. The clinic will also serve as a training facility for studentsfrom all schools andcolleges at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.
As she puts it, “My goal as a health and wellness educator-presenter is to increase awareness, comprehension and adherence to recommended preventive health screening guidelines, improve health literacy and eliminate occurrences of health disparities. I am also passionate about empowering individuals through education to prevent diseases, promote health and maintain wellness as they age in their own residences.”
However, she remains cognizant of the fact that she cannot do it alone.
“At the end of the day we still have to resolve the challenges in our healthcare system and that will not be done overnight. However, it is vital that we foster the necessary co-operation between all healthcare stakeholders to arrive at more effective healthcare solutions. The lives of our fellow citizens literally depend on it.”
