faculty profile
Jessica Walker DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Assistant Professor
Bio
Dr. Jessica Walker teaches in the Master of Science in Nursing (including the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Lifespan specialty), Doctor of Nursing Practice, and PreSpecialty programs. She is also the Vanderbilt Program in Interprofessional Learning 1 Nursing Course Director. She previously taught psychiatric-mental health nursing in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Dr. Walker's current clinical work involves providing outpatient psychiatric consultations for individuals experiencing homelessness. Her psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner clinical experience also includes adult consultation-liaison psychiatry and homeless health services. She has been involved with contact tracing. Her nursing career started in inpatient and emergency psychiatry with a board certification in psychiatric-mental health nursing. She is also passionate about community service.
Education
- DNP, Vanderbilt University
- MSN, Vanderbilt University
- BSN, Belmont University
Current Research/Scholarly Interests
- Health care for individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness
Academic Interests
- Mental health and psychiatry
- Community and population health
- Interprofessional collaboration in health care
- Scholarly projects
Representative Publications
Journals
Henry-Okafor, Q., Walker, J., Pfieffer, M. L., & Ott, M. (2022). Management of mental health disorders in patients with human immunodeficiency virus. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 18(5), 510-515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2022.01.010
Jones, P., Walker, J., Kleinpell, R., George, A., & Norman, L. (2021). Showcasing nursing leadership and contributions to a university's COVID-19 student contact tracing process. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 45(4), 346-352. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000492
Walker, J. N., Vanderhoef, D., Adams, S. M., & Fleisch, S. B. (2021). The impact of an educational intervention on nursing staff attitudes toward patients experiencing homelessness and mental illness. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. https://doi.org/10.1177/10783903211011669
Facer, B. D., Bingham, B., Fleisch, S. B., Walker, J. N., Ahmad, M., & Osmundson, E. C. (2020). Radiation therapy adherence among patients experiencing homelessness. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 109(4), 1019-1027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2020.10.032
Fleisch, S. B., & Walker, J. N. (2020). Surreptitious opioid misuse in the general hospital via rectal administration: A case report. Psychosomatics, 61(4), 405-407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psym.2019.12.001
Representative Presentations
Walker, J., & Adams, S. (2020). Nursing staff attitudes toward medically hospitalized patients who are homeless and have mental illness [Poster]. American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, Virtual.
Trump, S., Fleisch, S. B., & Walker, J. (2019). Impact of obtaining permanent housing for homeless persons on hospital utilization in an academic medical center [Poster]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Row, A., & Walker, J. (2018). Complex behavioral services in vulnerable and homeless populations [Podium]. American Case Management Association Annual Case Management and Transitions of Care Conference: Kentucky/Tennessee Chapter, Nashville, TN, United States.
Trump, S., Fleisch, S. B., & Walker, J. (2018). Impact of a brief didactic intervention on medical student attitudes toward homelessness [Poster]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Jackson, A., Walker, J., Nygren, D., & Constant, J. (2018). Do opioid overdoses put you out of your comfort zone? Learn how to safely administer naloxone [Podium]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Walker, J., Vanderhoef, D., Adams, S., & Fleisch, S. B. (2018). Attitudes of nursing staff toward patients who are homeless and have mental illness in a hospital [Poster]. American Association of Nurse Practitioners National Conference, Denver, CO, United States.
Leblanc, L., Walker, J., & Fleisch, S. B. (2017). Obtaining disability benefits in homeless persons: Impact on hospital utilization in an academic medical center [Poster]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Allentown, PA, United States.
Constant, J., Johnson, M., Poellet, L., & Walker, J. (2017). Psychosis, neurosis, or alcoholic hallucinosis? Identification and treatment of psychotic disorders on the street [Podium]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Allentown, PA, United States.
Poellet, L., Walker, J., LeBlanc, L., & Fleisch, S. B. (2016). Conditional suicidality: Evaluating the ultimate threat on the street [Podium]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Geneva, Switzerland.
Walker, J., Poellet, L., LeBlanc, L., & Fleisch, S. B. (2016). The street as a detox unit: Seizing the opportunity to assess and treat substance withdrawal in the homeless population [Podium]. Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, Geneva, Switzerland.
Walker, J., & Woodard, J. (2015). Sensory rooms: Decreasing stressors and symptoms by stimulating senses [Podium]. American Psychiatric Nurses Association Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, United States.
Walker, J. (2015). Sensory rooms: Stimulating the senses to reduce stress [Poster]. American Nurses Credentialing Center National Magnet Conference, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Clinical Practice
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Reviewer
- Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association
Professional Organizations
- American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Practice Council Chair
- Sigma: Iota and Omicron Phi Chapters, Iota Chapter Secretary
- National Alliance on Mental Illness, Vanderbilt
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- American Nurses Association/Tennessee Nurses Association
- Street Medicine Institute
Honors/Awards
- 50 Outstanding Alumni, Belmont University School of Nursing, 2022
- Catherine Hanley Class of 1912 Rising Star Alumni Award, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, 2020
- Early Career Professional Scholarship, Beck Institute, 2019
- Founder's Medal for First Honors in Nursing, Vanderbilt University, 2016
- Board of Directors Student Scholarship, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2015
- Rosamond Gabrielson Staff Nurse of the Year: Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2014
- Behavioral Health Nurse of the Year, March of Dimes, 2013
- The Outstanding Preceptor Award of the Psychiatric Health Nurse Residency, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 2012
- The Kathleen B. Horrell Scholarship Award, Belmont University, 2010
