Jennifer Gardner, NP, has joined the staff of the senior health department at the Barger Way clinic and will specialize in geriatrics.

She earned her master of science, family nurse practitioner, from Simmons University and her bachelor of science in nursing from Bushnell University.

She most recently worked as a field nurse practitioner and previously worked as a registered nurse at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend. Gardner also spent time volunteering as a nurse in Guatemala and worked in interventional pain management as a nurse practitioner.

Gardner started off as a certified nursing assistant, and advanced to become a registered respiratory therapist. She was motivated to become a nurse practitioner in order to have a wider scope of care. During her time as a student, she worked at the Barger clinic and her rewarding experiences with seniors led her to pursue that area of focus.

“I treat patients as I would want my family and friends treated,” Gardner said. “I encourage them to share their experiences so we can have a relationship built on trust.”

When not at work, Gardner enjoys traveling with her family, cycling and running.