Paula Christianson-Silva, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, ANP-BC, DipACLM

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 2015 - Doctor in Nursing Practice - Nursing - University of Arizona
  • 2013 - Post- Master Certificate - Family Nurse Practitioner - University of Arizona
  • 1988 - Master of Science - Adult Nurse Practitioner - University of Michigan
  • 1983 - Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Nursing - University of Arizona

  Highlights

  Licensures and Certifications

  • Registered Nurse  
  • Texas Adult Nurse Practitioner
  • DEA License
  • ANCC FNP Certificate 
  • ANCC ANP Certificate

  Honors and Awards

  • 2023 Salute to Nurses, San Antonio Express News, Nurse Practitioner Nominee Finalist 2

  • 2022 Best 25 Nurses in South Central Texas, San Antonio Nursing Consortium, nominated 
  • 2020, AANP Advocate State Award for Excellence, Arizona 

  Appointments

  • 2019 - Assistant Professor/Clinical - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2016 - Adjunct Clinical Professor - University of Arizona
  • 2015 - Assistant Professor, Clinical - University of Arizona

• Instruction & Training

  • 2023, NURS 7307 DNP Dissemination, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2023, NURS 7306 DNP Project, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2023, NURS 6454 FNP Diagnosis and Management , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2023, NURS 6143, 6141, 6147 FNP/PNP/AG-ACNP Clinical skills and Laboratory science , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2023, NURS 7306 DNP Project , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 7322 Healthcare Policy Analysis and Advocacy, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 6110 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 7306 DNP Project, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 7306 DNP Project, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 6143/6141/6147 FNP/PNP/AG-ACNP Clinical Skills and Laboratory Science, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 6158 FNP Diagnosis and Management: Clinical Application 2, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2022, NURS 6154 FNP Diagnosis and Management: Clinical Seminar 2, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 7322 Healthcare Policy Analysis and Advocacy, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 6457 FNP Diagnosis and Management: Clinical Application , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 6153 FNP Diagnosis and Management: Clinical Seminar 1, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 7306 DNP Project, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 6110 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 6454 FNP Diagnosis and Management: Concepts & Theory, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2021, NURS 6620 FNP Dx and Mgt of Aging Families: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 7322 Healthcare Policy Analysis and Advocacy, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 7312 DNP Project: Seminar and NURS 7313 DNP Project: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 6110 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 6250 Advanced Health Promotion, Health Protection, & Disease Prevention, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 7111 Advanced Nursing Seminar and NURS 7511 Advanced Nursing Seminar: Clinical Application , UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 6620 FNP Dx and Mgt of Aging Families: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 6210 Advanced Health Assessment & Clinical Reasoning, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 6620 FNP Diagnosis & Management for Aging Families: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
  • 2020, NURS 3305 Foundations of Clinical Nursing Practice: Clinical Application, UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing

• Research & Grants

  Grants

  Under Review 

  • 2023-2027 Funder: Health Resources and Services Administration Advanced Nursing Education Submitted 4-7-23 Workforce Program (HRSA-23-014) Title: Juntos (Together) Rural Health Program for Nurse Practitioner Students in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Program Faculty Partner In conjunction with the School of Nursing at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, the grant will support 16 Family, Pediatric, and Psychiatric/Mental Health NP students to address the severe shortage of NPs in this Health Professions Shortage /Medically Underserved Area. Preceptor support, clinical site expansion, and community development are included. 
  • 2023-2024 Funder: UT Health, $5,000.00 Submitted 5-15-23 Title: Linking Interprofessional Networks for Collaboration Seed Grant: A Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group Interprofessional Education Initiative Role: Co-Principal Investigator Students from all UT Health schools will be supported to form an ACLM Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group student organization. 

  Currently Funded:  

  • 10/2022-09/2023 Funder: Morrison Foundation Trust, $55,000.00 Extension to 08/2024 Title: A Interprofessional-led Model of Care to Prevent and Treat Chronic Diseases using a Whole Food, Plant-based Nutrition Program in a Primary Care Setting Role: Co-Principal Investigator Forty-five patients in Green Wellness Program: Plants-2-Plate will be more intensely studied for improvement in cardiovascular risk factors including special inflammatory biomarkers. Food intake and physical activity are being directly monitored using wearable devise technology. 
  • 06/2022 – 05/2023 Funder: 2022 UT Health School of Nursing / Nursing Advisory Council, $11,100.00 Extension to 08/2023 Title: Green Wellness Program: Plant-2-Plate Role: Principal Investigator Funds are being used to strengthen the Green Wellness Program through enhanced patient services and incentives, professional development for team members, a part-time research assistant for data retrieval and analyses, and program dissemination.  
  • 03/2021 - 03/2022 Funder: UT Health, $5,000.00 Title: LINC Seed Grant: Interprofessional Training with Family Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant students using Interprofessional Education Objectives Structured Clinical Examination Role: Co-Principal Investigator 
  • 03/2020 - 03/2021 Funder: UT Health, $5,000.00. Title: LINC Seed Grant: Interprofessional Training with Advanced Practice Nurse, Dietetic, and Pharmacy Students using Nutrition-focused Case Studies. Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Grant Detail: Hypothesis: Nursing, dietetic, and pharmacy students who participate in a case-based interprofessional education(IPE)workshop will improve their understanding of each other‘s roles in the healthcare team and enhance their attitudes toward future IP collaborations to improve patient care.Page Break 

  Completed Research/Projects: 

  • 2014 - 2015, Funding Agency: Sigma Theta Tau, $1,000.00. Title: “The Influence of Doctor of Nursing Practice Education on Nurse Practitioner Practice”. Role: Principal Investigator. Grant Detail: DNP Project, Sigma Theta Tau International, Beta Mu Chapter Student Research Grant

• Service

  School

  Student Mentees/Trainees, UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing 

  2022-2023  Chair for BSN-DNP student DNP Projects: 

  • “Overcoming Barriers to Hypertension Control in Rural Health Clinics”, Vanessa Cox 
  • “Improving Well Woman Exam Care and Documentation in a University Clinic”, Alexander Valdez 
  • “Improving Patients’ Communication of Reportable Adverse Reactions to Tuberculosis Drug Therapy”, Taiwo Ajayi 
  • “Quality Improvement of an Intensive Nutrition and Lifestyle Program for Preventing and Reversing Chronic Disease”, Julie Barsalou 
  • 2022 Chair for MSN-DNP student DNP Project “Improving Blood Pressure Control in Adult Hypertensive Patients with Mental Health Disorders”, Handa Jessica Sayi

  2022-2026 

  Global Health Distinction Program Mentor for PhD student Zarqa Malik 

  2020-2022 

  Global Health Distinction Program Mentor for BSN-DNP student Temitayo Ojo, the only student to receive the Distinction at May 2022 Graduation. He also received the SON Student Advocate for Social Justice Award. 

  Institutional

  • 2023-present DNP Curriculum Subcommittee of Member Committee on Graduate Studies 
  • 2023-present Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group,  Lead Faculty Advisor and Co-Founder American College of Lifestyle Medicine  (campus-wide student organization) 2021-present UT Heath SA Campus Internationalization Member Committee  (formerly International Relations Committee) 
  • 2021-present Campus Internationalization Member Committee  (formerly International Relations Committee) 
  • 2021-04/2023 SON Committee on Interprofessional Member 
  • 2023-present Education Chair-Elect 
  • 2020-12/2021  DNP Projects Working Group Member 
  • 2019-present FNP Working Group Member 
  • 2020-present UT Health SA, School of Nursing Chair Bylaws Committee 
  • 2019 - Present, UT Health SA, School of Nursing Faculty Practice Plan Professional Affairs Committee, Member  
  • 2020 - Present, UT Health SA, School of Nursing Bylaws Committee, Chair 

  Service to the Profession

  • 2023- present Texas Nurse Practitioners UT Health San Antonio University Ambassador 
  • 2020 – Present, Texas Nurse Practitioners PAC Advisory Council Member 
  • 2020 – Present, Texas Nurse Practitioners Rural Health Interest Group Member 
  • 2017 - 2019, Arizona Nurse Practitioner Council  President 
  • 2016 – 2019, Arizona Nurse Practitioner Council Legislative Chair; Expansion Committee Chair; Reimbursement, Membership, and Conference Committees; Abstract Reviewer for Symposium and Scholarship Awards 
  • 2017 – 2019, Arizona Nurses Association Public Policy Committee Member 
  • 2019, Arizona Nurses Association Public Policy Committee Leadership Team   
  • 2017 – 2019, AZ Medical Advisory Board for Opioid Crisis Member 
  • 2018 – 2019, SAZAPN/NPS Legislative Chair  

  Professional Affiliations

  • 2019 - Present, San Antonio Nurses in Advanced Practice 
  • 2019 - Present,Texas Nurse Practitioners 
  • 2010 – Present, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties 
  • 2007 - Present, American Association of Nurse Practitioners 
  • 1983 - Present, Sigma Theta Tau 

  Community

  • 2022 Represented UT Health at San Antonio Culturingua San Antonio World Refugee Day 
  • 2022 Volunteer Nurse Practitioner and Preceptor Wellness Centers San Antonio for UT Health Frontera Medical and NP Wellness Promotion Summit Students at Medical Clinic in Windcrest, TX 
  • 2022 Volunteer Sales of KWA items at King William Association (KWA) King William Fair, Fiesta San Antonio 
  • 2022 Volunteer Nurse Practitioner and Preceptor City of San Antonio and Center for Refugee for UT Health Frontera Medical and NP Services Afghan Refugee Fair Students at Medical Clinic 

  Global

  Dr. Christianson-Silva has been a primary care nurse practitioner and nursing educator since 1989 in several US states and Germany. She currently teaches in the FNP Program and practices at the Wellness 360 Clinic.  She has provided primary care in homeless and low-income health clinics. She is an advocate for expanded healthcare access. In Germany, Dr. Christianson-Silva was the School Nurse and Community Service Program Coordinator, Bavarian International School. She led projects involving Caritas Refugee Camp residents and organized a student trip to Zimbabwe.  She was a UNICEF volunteer and a USA Consulate Roundtable Group member. At UCLA (University of California Los Angeles), Dr. Christianson-Silva worked with students in an Underserved Subspecialty and served as Faculty Advisor of Global Action In Nursing (GAIN). She precepted students at Cold Weather Shelter Clinics and the Union Rescue Mission nurse-managed health center. She led students on a medical service trip with “Floating Doctors,” serving Ngobe people on Panama’s remote islands. Dr. Christianson worked with STAND: The Haiti Project. She was responsible for the general medical clinic and provided clinical instruction to nursing and medical students. At UT Health, she organized a trip for FNP/PNP students to Haiti in 2020 (canceled due to COVID).

• Publications

  Under Development 

  Christianson-Silva, P., Knoeckel, S., Skaggs, S., & Bland, L (2023). Using an Interprofessional Objective Structured Clinical Examination (IPE OSCE) series to strengthen family nurse practitioner and physician assistant students’ clinical skills and interprofessional behaviors, Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice 

  Brownell, E., Esposito, P., & Christianson-Silva, P. (2023). Cochran (systematic) Review on nutritional assessment in primary care 

  Cox, V. & Christianson-Silva, P. (2023). Overcoming barriers to self-monitoring of blood pressure adherence in a rural health clinic, Hypertension 

  Under Review 

  Christianson-Silva, P., Lee, W., Meireles, C., Evoy, K. & Vasquez, L. (2022). Interprofessional training with advanced practice nurse, dietetic, and pharmacy students using nutrition-focused case studies, Journal of Dietetic Education, submitted 4/6/23 

  Peer-reviewed Articles (*indicates data-based) 

  • Christianson-Silva, P., Russell-Kibble, A., & Shaver, J. (2022). An NP-led care bundle approach for primary care of patients with complex health needs, Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 34(2), 364-372. doi: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000628
  • “The Influence of Doctor of Nursing Practice Education on Nurse Practitioner Practice” – available at http://arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/handle/10150/556445 
  • “Nurse Practitioners” – chapter in Introduction to Clinical Medicine (medical student textbook), 1995 

  Peer Reviewed Podium Presentations  

  • 2023 Using Shared Medical Appointments in Your Practice, Texas Nurse Practitioners 2023 Rural Health Conference, virtual 
  • 2023, Active Learning Strategies with Family Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant Students to Enhance Interprofessional Competencies, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties 49th Annual Conference, Orlando, FL 
  • 2023, Tuberculosis Side Effects Questionnaire, World Tuberculosis Day Webcast, TB in Texas from Heartland National TB Center, San Antonio, TX 
  • 2020, “Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury: A Hidden Challenge” – American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) National Conference, 60 minute presentation, conference cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 
  • 2019, “Low Back Pain: By the Guidelines” - AANP National Conference, 60 minute presentation, Indianapolis, IN 
  • 2018, “Low Back Pain: By the Guidelines” - Arizona Nurse Practitioner Council (AZNPC) Southwest Regional Nurse Practitioner Symposium, Phoenix, AZ 
  • 2017,  “Implementation of the AEI0OU Bundle of Practices in the Primary Care of Complex Patients” – AANP National Conference 
  • 2016, “Health 360 South: An Interprofessional Collaborative Practice” – Arizona State University Annual Conference on Integrated Healthcare, Chandler, AZ 
  • 2015, “Update on Arizona APRN Consensus Model Legislation” – Southern Arizona Advanced Practice Nurse / Nurse Practitioner Society (SAZAPN/NPS) Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ 

  Peer Reviewed Poster Presentations  

  • 2023, A Nurse and Dietician-Led Intensive Lifestyle Program to Reserve Chronic Disease, Sigma 47th Biennial Convention, San Antonio, TX  Abstract will be published in Sigma journal and the poster with voice-over will be available during the virtual portion of the Convention. 
  • 2022, A Plant-based Program Led by an Interprofessional Team to Prevent Chronic Diseases in Southeast Texas, American College of Lifestyle Medicine LM2022, Orlando, FL 
  • 2022, Implementing and Evaluating Strategies for Increased Usage of Women’s Health Services at a University Health and Wellness Clinic, Texas Nurse Practitioners 34th Annual Conference, Round Rock, TX 
  • 2022, Teach-Back Method to Improve Patient Understanding on Reportable Side Effects from Tuberculosis Drug Therapy, “End TB” National Tuberculosis Conference, Palm Springs, CA 
  • 2018, “Medication Assisted Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder” – SAZAPN/NPS Annual Conference 
  • 2015, “Bundling Practices to Improve Care of Patients at High Risk for ED or Hospital Readmissions” - AANP National Conference, New Orleans, LA - featured in The Clinical Advisor (http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/aanp-2015-annual-meeting/primary-care-bundle-reduces-ed-readmission/article/420566/) and AANP Smartbrief 
  • 2015, “Bundling Practices to Improve Care of Patients at High Risk for ED or Hospital Readmissions” - SAZAPN/NPS Annual Conference, Tucson, AZ 

• Clinical

  Faculty Practice at Wellness 360 Clinic providing primary care and occupational health, BSN-DNP FNP student preceptor.