Heidi J. Worabo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Associate Professor/Clinical
Heidi J. Worabo, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) School of Nursing. Dr. Worabo serves as the Co-Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program and the Family Nurse Practitioner track coordinator. Her mission is to expand access to primary and preventive healthcare for vulnerable communities both locally and globally through holistic, compassionate, and sustainable care. She enjoys sharing her passion for patient-centered, culturally sensitive care with the next generation of healthcare professionals through didactic and clinical education. For more than a decade, she has provided primary care for patients at the Employee and Student Health Center, Wellness 360, and serving as Co-Director of the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic (SARHC). The SARHC is a free clinic for newly resettled refugees that is managed by a dynamic interprofessional team of students and faculty dedicated to the wellbeing of refugees, while providing students with service-learning experiences that shape their career trajectory.
Dr. Worabo earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana and a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at which time she traveled to Ethiopia to complete her thesis entitled, “Perceptions of HIV Testing in Pregnant Women of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.” While working as a family nurse practitioner, she completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Nursing in 2012. Her doctoral project was a qualitative study on resettled refugees’ perceptions of healthcare in the U.S.
Her clinical practice includes working as a registered nurse on an acute care pediatric unit, a telemetry unit, and a hospital-based clinic. As a family nurse practitioner, she worked for Children’s Gastroenterology specialty practice and then for the Institute for Family Medicine of St. Louis where she provided primary care at county-based health centers, school-based health centers, a domestic violence women’s shelter, and a refugee resettlement agency. She has traveled with academic and faith-based organizations to Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Namibia. She advocates for cross-cultural, interprofessional experiences for students both domestically and internationally to promote cultural understanding and compassionate care with a global perspective.
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Professional Background
Education
- 2012 - Doctor in Nursing Practice - Nursing - University of Missouri
- 2007 - Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner - Southern Illinois University
- 2002 - Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Nursing - Goshen College
Highlights
Licensures and Certifications
- ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner
- APRN - Texas
- Registered Nurse - Texas
Honors and Award
- 2022 Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Educator Award, NONPF
- 2021, Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence, UT Health SA
- 2020, Fellow, American Assoc. Academy of Nurse Practitioners
- 2020, Fellow, Elevating Leaders in Academic Nursing, American Assoc. of Colleges of Nursing
Appointments
- 2022 - Present - Co-Director of Nursing Program - UT Health San Antonio
- 2020 - present - Associate Professor - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2019 - present - Family Nurse Practitioner Track Coordinator and Coordinator - UT Health San Antonio, School of Nursing
- 2014 - present - Co-Director - San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic / UT Health San Antonio
- 2014 - present - Family Nurse Practitioner - UT Health San Antonio Wellness 360 Clinic
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Instruction & Training
- 2018 - 2023, NURS 6250 Advanced Health Promotion, Health Protection, & Disease Prevention, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021- 2023, NURS7305 DNP Seminar, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021 - 2023, NURS 7306 DNP Project, 3 credits, Course Coordinator , UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2022 - 2023, NURS6154 FNP Diagnosis & Management Clinical Seminar II, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2022 - 2023, NURS 6458 FNP Diagnosis & Management Clinical Application II, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS 6110 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: Clinical Application, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS 6210 Advanced Health Assessment & Clinical Reasoning, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS6153 FNP Diagnosis & Management Clinical Seminar I, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS6457 FNP Diagnosis & Management Clinical Application I, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS6621 FNP Diagnosis & Management for Young Families: Clinical Application, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS6620 FNP Diagnosis & Management for Aging Families: Clinical Application, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2021, NURS 6143 FNP Clinical Skills and Laboratory Science, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2018 - 2021, NURS 6110 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: Clinical Application, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2020 - 2021, NURS 6210 Advanced Hlth Assessment & Clinical Reasoning, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2018 - 2020, NURS 6451 FNP Diagnosis & Management: Young Families, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2019 - 2020, NURS 6621 FNP Diagnosis & Management for Young Families: Clinical Application, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2018, NURS 7312 DNP Practice Inquiry Seminar, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
- 2018, NURS 7313 DNP Practice Inquiry: Clinical Application, UT Health Science, School of Nursing
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Research & Grants
Grants
Currently Funded:
- 2021, Funder: Nursing Advisory Council, UT Health SA. Title: Exploring Maternal Health Needs of Refugee Women in San Antonio, Texas. $3693 Role: Principle Investigator
Completed Research/Projects:
- 2019 Funder: Community Service Learning Grant, UT Health SA Center for Medical Ethics and Humanities. Dollars: $2470. Title: Reproductive Health of Refugees in San Antonio, Texas. Role: Faculty Mentor
- 2018 Funder: Community Service Learning Grant, UT Health SA Center for Medical Ethics and Humanities. Dollars: $3895. Title: Evaluating the Impact of the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic: A Qualitative Health Care Needs Assessment Among San Antonio Refugees. Role: Faculty Mentor
- 2015 – 2016 Funder: The Migliorino Piccione Award, UT Health SA School of Nursing. Dollars: $1500. Title: Exploring Refugee Health Needs in San Antonio, TX: Perceptions of Health and Social Service Personnel Serving the Refugee. Role: Principle Investigator
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Service
Institutional
- 2023-present UT Health SA School of Nursing Faculty Assembly, Chair-Elect
- 2023-present UT Health SA School of Nursing Bylaw Committee, Member
- 2022-present UT Health SA School of Nursing Committee on Graduate Studies, Member
- 2022-present UT Health SA Comprehensive Health & Wellness Advisory, Member
- 2021-present UT Health School of Nursing Committee on Interprofessional Education, Member
- 2019-present UT Health SA Interprofessional Education Initiative Co- Curricular Taskforce, Member
- 2019-present UT Health SA School of Nursing Committee on International Programs, Member (Chair 2019-2020)
- 2019-present UT Health SA Committee for the Advancement of Women and Minorities, Member
- 2019-2021 UT Health SA School of Nursing Interprofessional Education Initiative Taskforce, Member
- 2020, UT Health SA, UT Health SA Namibia Delegation
- 2019 - present, UT Health SA, Interprofessional Education Initiative Co-Curricular Taskforce
- 2019 - present, UT Health SA, Interprofessional Education Initiative School of Nursing Taskforce
- 2019 - present, Committee on International Programs, School of Nursing, Member (Chair 2019-2020)
Service to the Profession
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2023 National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties: Program Director Special Interest GroupReviewer, International Journal of Equity in Health, Springer Nature Reviewer, BMC Primary Care, Springer Nature
- 2019, American Association of Nurse Practitioners International, Specialty Practice Group
- 2019, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner, Faculties Global Health Special Interest Group
- 2019, Reviewer, Community Service Learning Grants
- 2018, Reviewer, PLOS One Reviewer
- 2015 – 2017, Leadership Succession Committee, Sigma Theta Tau
Professional Affiliations
- 2020 — present, Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers
- 2019 — present, Texas Public Health Association
- 2017 — present, American Nurses Association
- 2017 — present, Texas Nurses Association
- 2013 — present, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties
- 2013 — present, Texas Nurse Practitioner Association
- 2013 — present, American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- 2012 — present, Sigma Theta Tau International
Community
- 2020-present Director of Health Education Bridging Ethiopia: bridgingethiopia.org
- 2015 - present, Member, Texas Region 3 Quarterly Refugee Consultation Meeting
- 2009, Nurse Practitioner, Medical Mission to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- 2008, Nurse Practitioner, New City Fellowship Health Connections
- 2006, Registered Nurse, La Clinica, St. Louis, MO
Global
Dr. Worabo is an Associate Professor and the Track Coordinator for the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. Dr. Worabo is the Assistant Director of the San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic, which provides healthcare for refugee (new and resettled) patients and teaches interprofessional teams of students in the care of vulnerable populations. To expand access and improve care through a patient-centered and community-based approach, she has been involved in projects to explore resettled refugees’ healthcare perceptions in the US. In St. Louis, Missouri, she was part of an innovative practice called the Institute for Family Medicine, which provided primary care at a domestic women’s shelter, a refugee resettlement agency, school-based health centers, preschools, and churches. She traveled to Ethiopia to complete her Master’s Thesis, “Perceptions of HIV Testing in Pregnant Women of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.” In 2009, she assisted with establishing a nurse-run clinic that served an orphanage and school in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. She also traveled to El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Namibia. Dr. Worabo advocates for cross-cultural, interprofessional experiences for students both domestically and internationally to promote cultural understanding and compassionate care with a global perspective.
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Publications
- Worabo, H., Salt, R., Grubesic, R. & Farokhi, M. (2023). Promoting social justice through experiential learning at an interprofessional refugee clinic. Nurse Education Today, 121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105699
- Recto, P., Lesser, J., Farokhi, M, Lacy, J., Chapa, I., Garcia, S., Johnson, L., Geelhoed, M., Stone, M., Worabo, H., Zorek, J. (2022). Addressing health inequities through co-curricular interprofessional education: A secondary analysis scoping review. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2022.100549[WHJ1] [WHJ1]Can replace these with the entries that say "under review"
- Worabo, H., Salt, R., Grubesic, R. & Farokhi, M. Operationalizing an academic practice partnership model to deliver care to refugees and promote social justice competencies. Nurse Education Today [Under Review].
- Recto, P., Lesser, J., Farokhi, M, Lacy, J., Chapa, I., Garcia, S., Johnson, L., Geelhoed, M., Stone, M., Worabo, H., Zorek, J. Addressing health inequities through co-curricular interprofessional education: A secondary analysis scoping review. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice [Under Review].
- Farokhi, M.R., Lacy, C.J., Chapa, I., Garcia, S., Geelhoed, J., Johnson, L., Lesser, J., Stone, M., Worabo, H., Zorek, J.A. Defining and classifying co-curricular interprofessional education for the health professions: A scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis [In Press].
- Miller, M., Holmes, C., Moran, M., Dollar, F., Jeffery, A., Safi, F., Safi, S., & Worabo H. (2021). A Qualitative Analysis on the Reproductive Health Needs of Resettled Afghan Refugees in South Texas. Free Clinic Research Collective, 8(1).
- Worabo, H., Parke, K., Muck, A., & Farokhi, M. (2019). Refugee Healthcare Needs: Perceptions of Health and Social Service Professionals in South Texas. Texas Public Health Journal, 71(4), 15-18.
- Adel JW, Berstein E, Tcheyan M, Ali S, Worabo H, Farokhi M, Muck AE. (2019). San Antonio Refugees: Their Demographics, Healthcare Profiles, and How to Better Serve Them. PLOS One Journal,14(2):1-16.
- Farokhi, M.R., Muck, A., Lozano-Pineda, J., Boone, S.L., & Worabo, H. (2018). Using Interprofessional Education to Promote Oral Health Literacy in a Faculty-Student Collaborative Practice. Journal of Dental Education; Oct;82(10):1091-1097.
- Worabo, H.J. (2017). A Life Course Theory Approach to Understanding Eritrean Refugees’ Perceptions of Preventive Health Care in the United States. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 38 (4), 310-316.
- Worabo H.J., Hsueh, K., Yakimo, R., Worabo, E., Burgess, P.A., Farberman, S. (2016). Understanding Refugees’ Perceptions of Health Care in the United States. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 12(7), 487-494.
- 2023 “Patient Centered Care” for the College of Medicine and Health Sciences of Ambo University, Ethiopia
- 2023 Family and Community Medicine Grand Rounds: Refugee Health in Bexar County, Panel Discussion
- 2023 Country of Focus: Ethiopia / World Affairs Council of San Antonio: Academic World Quest. Recorded presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmICcB2nrec
- 2021, “San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic.” Physicians for Human Rights Mini Conference, UT Health San Antonio
- 2020, “Caring for Refugees in San Antonio.” Women in Medicine, UTSA
- 2019, “Care of Immigrant and Refugee Children in the School Setting, School Nurse Roundup Conference, School Nurses Association, San Antonio, TX
- 2018, “Primary Care of the Immigrant Child.” Pediatric Emergencies & Updates, National Association of Pediatric Nurses in Advanced Practice, San Antonio, TX.
- 2018, “Refugees in America: Local Voices Panel Discussion. University of Texas San Antonio Honors Course, San Antonio, TX
- 2016, “Update on Women’s Health Screenings.” The UT Health San Antonio Wellness Event, San Antonio, TX
- 2016, “Integrating Immigrants and Refugees into Society.” City of San Antonio Friendship City Agreement with Darmstadt, Germany, San Antonio, TX
- 2020 Farokhi, M.R., Lacy, C.J., Chapa, I., Garcia, S., Geelhoed, M., Johnson, L., Lesser, J., Stone, M., Worabo, H., Zorek, J.A. Language matters: Defining co-curricular IPE to advance meaningful practices. National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, 2020 Virtual Nexus Summit on Retaining the Vital Focus on the Interprofessional Clinical Learning Environment: Better Care, Better Value, Better Education, Student.
- 2019 Worabo, H. & Parke, K. “Refugee Healthcare Needs: Perceptions of Health and Social Service Professionals in South Texas.” Cultural Inclusion Conference, UT Health San Antonio.
- 2016 Worabo, H. “A Life Course Theory Approach to Understanding Eritrean Refugees’ Perceptions of Preventive Healthcare in the United States.” State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research, Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, Washington, D.C.
- 2016 Worabo, H. “Refugees’ Perceptions of Healthcare in the United States: Implications for Providing Culturally Sensitive Primary Healthcare for Resettled Refugees.” American Association of Nursing Practitioners National Conference, San Antonio, TX.
- 2022 Farokhi, M.R., Chapa, I., Garcia, S.E., Geelhoed, M., Johnson, L.D., Recto, P., Stone, M., Worabo, H.J., Zorek, J.A. A co-curricular case competition to explore interprofessional solutions addressing local health disparities. Nexus Summit 2022.vv2022
- 2021 Farokhi, M.R., Chapa, I., Garcia, S., Geelhoed, M., Johnson, L., Lacy, J., Lesser, J., Stone, M., Worabo, H., Zorek, J.A. Novel taxonomy scoping review reveals meaningful interprofessional education for dentistry. American Dental Education Association 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting.
- 2021 Farokhi, M.R., Berndt, A., Ford, L.A., Garcia, S.E., Lipscomb, J., Rosenfeld, J., Worabo, H., Zorek, J.A. An interprofessional case competition targeting vaccine hesitancy: results of a pilot study. National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, 2021 Virtual Nexus Summit.
- 2020 Dittmar, K., Miller, M., & Worabo, H. “Family Planning Curriculum Development for Resettled Refugees in San Antonio, Texas.” Community Service Learning Conference, UT Health San Antonio
- 2019 Miller, M., Holmes, C., Dittmar, K., Dollar, F., Moran, M., Makansi, M., Jeffery, A., Egan, D., Worabo, H. “Assessment of the Reproductive Health Needs of Female Afghan and Burmese Refugees in San Antonio, Texas: A Focus Group Approach.” Community Service Learning Conference, San Antonio, TX
- 2018 Worabo, H., Jordan, K., Campalans, C., Costantino, M., Farokhi, M., Grubesic, R., Wayman, B. “The San Antonio Refugee Health Clinic and the Center for Refugee Services Collaboration.” Cultural Inclusion Conference, San Antonio, TX
Peer-reviewed Articles (*indicates data-based)
Invited Podium Presentations
Peer Reviewed Podium Presentations
Peer Reviewed Poster Presentations
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Clinical
Board Certifications
- American Nurses Credentialing Center