Nurse Practitioners
Carla Graves and
Melissa Varnado have joined North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center in Hammond and are accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment,
call (985) 230-APPT [2778].
Varnado first joined North Oaks as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2012,
diagnosing and treating minor illnesses and injuries in the Emergency
Department. She earned a master’s degree in Nursing through the
family nurse practitioner program of Loyola University in New Orleans,
a bachelor’s degree in Nursing — also from Loyola University
– and an associate degree in Nursing from Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas.
Joining North Oaks in 2014, Graves has established expertise in many areas
of nursing, including cardiovascular/telemetry, surgery and home health
in addition to orthopaedics. She earned a master’s degree in Nursing
from Walden University based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and an associate
degree in Nursing from Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit,
Mississippi.
Other North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center providers in Hammond include:
Orthopaedic Surgeon and Hand & Upper Extremity Specialist
Bryan S. Dudoussat, MD; Orthopaedic Surgeon, Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Specialist
J. Gregory Kinnett, MD; Orthopaedic Surgeon and Trauma Specialist
Brian J. Ladner, MD; Orthopaedic Surgeon and Spine Specialist
Matthew Lafleur, MD; Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Specialist
Katy Morris, MD; Certified Physician Assistant
Marc Pitre; and Nurse Practitioners
Janet Morse and
Lane Newman.
Nurse practitioners are nationally certified, state-licensed medical professionals
who can practice independently. They are known as “physician extenders”
educated under the nursing model, which emphasizes health promotion and
education. Nurse practitioners are credentialed to manage the overall
care of their patients, diagnose and treat medical conditions, prescribe
medications and provide education to their patients on disease prevention
and management.
The clinic is located within the North Oaks Clinic Building at 15813 Paul
Vega, MD, Drive, Suite 100, in Hammond. Hours of operation are 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m. on weekdays.