Meet the Bariatric Surgery Team performing gastric bypass

MEET THE BARIATRIC SURGERY TEAM

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Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator

Bariatric Program Coordinator
Patrice E. Johnell, RN, BSN
Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator

A native of southern California and Dr. Johnell’s wife of 22 years, Patrice oversees all aspects of the Bariatric Surgery Program. She is usually the first team member patients meet. Her primary focus is on the preoperative evaluation and education of patients. She presents all of the Patient Education Seminars, and sees every patient and their family members in the office for their nursing consultation before the initial consultation with Dr. Johnell. Patrice teaches all of the Pre-op Teaching Classes and the Pre-op Nutrition Classes. She is editor of the quarterly Newsletter The Bariatric Times, and develops all of the educational materials for the program. After graduating from San Francisco State University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Patrice spent most of her 25 year nursing career working as an ICU, SICU, and open-heart surgery recovery nurse. She did a 10-year stint as a personal trainer, and has completed all but one semester of graduate work necessary to obtain a Family Nurse Practitioner certification from Florida State University. Patrice is an allied health member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

Family Nurse Practitioner

Paula Shellenbarger MSN, FNP-C

Paula is a Family Nurse Practitioner working exclusively with the bariatric surgery team at the Greeley Medical Clinic. She has 27 years of health care experience in northern Colorado and her career continues to focus on optimal patient outcomes. She is certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing Certification Board. She is also certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support. After graduating with a Diploma in Nursing from Mary Lanning School of Nursing in Hastings, Nebraska in 1976, she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of the State of New York in 1991. She was awarded the Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Clarkson College in Omaha, Nebraska in 1999.

Medical Assistants

Bariatric Insurance Coordinator
Karen Peña , RMA
Scheduling Coordinator

Karen attended the Institute for Medical Careers receiving her RMA certificate in 2000. She has lived in Greeley for 28 years. Karen joined Dr. Johnell’s team in 2002. Karen is in charge of scheduling patients for all of the pre-operative activities including scheduling for surgery, pre-op exams, pre-op teaching and nutrition classes, behavior change classes, support group, pre-op labs, X-rays, abdominal ultrasounds, pulmonary function studies, EKGs, consultations with specialists, and more. Karen runs a tight ship making sure that the day-to-day operation of the program runs smoothly.

Bariatric Registered Nurse
Linda Crespin, RMA Registered Medical Assistant

Linda attended IBMC in Fort Collins, receiving her Registered Medical Assistant certificate in 2001. Although she was born in Pueblo, Colorado, Linda was raised in Greeley. She joined the Greeley Medical Clinic with the float team as an RMA in September 2001. As a float, she worked throughout the clinic in all of the different departments Linda joined the Bariatric Surgery Team in July 2003. Welcome Linda!

Linda is a medical assistant to Dr. Johnell, and assists Patrice with program education and administration. She provides pre and post-op patient care with Dr. Johnell and the nurse practitioner, Paula, when they are seeing patients in the office. These duties include taking vital signs, and assisting with LAP-BAND® adjustments, pre-op physical exams, and post-op evaluation of patients.

Insurance Specialist

Bariatric Dietician
Joey Joines

Joey attended Concorde Career Institute and received a certificate for Medical Office Management in 1999. Joey is in charge of insurance processing, and keeps in close contact with insurance company representatives. She also keeps in close contact with patients who are sometimes waiting many weeks for approvals to come in.

Receptionist

Bariatric Dietician
Courtney Griffin

Courtney is the receptionist for the NCCBS office. She often provides the first impression patients receive of our program and makes a special effort to ensure that each patient is given the care and attention that they deserve. Courtney is responsible for scheduling consultations and post-operative patient visits. Courtney recently moved to this area from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and joined the team in July, 2003.

Psychological & Emotional Support

Bariatric Support Ground Leader
Carol Mullins, RN, BSN
Support Group Leader

Carol is the leader of the Lap-Band Support Group, and co-leads the Gastric Bypass Support Group with Marjorie Wallbank. Carol is a 1981 graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, and has been employed over 20 years at North Colorado Medical Center. She is currently working in Ambulatory Care and with the preoperative education office. She was the 2001 Florence Slack Memorial Nurse of the Year Award recipient. Carol had gastric bypass surgery February 2002 and has been a great asset to the support groups by being able to share her own personal experience with weight loss surgery.