An interview with Joan Miravite, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP: Advocating for Optimizing Outcomes for Patients with PD
Biography
Joan Miravite, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP is a practicing Nurse Practitioner with over 24 years of experience working in Neurology, specializing in Movement Disorders. She is a clinician, educator and advocate with expertise in the evaluation and programming of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). She was appointed Assistant Professor of Neurology for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Adjunct Professor at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and Faculty Instructor/Preceptor for the Columbia University School of Nursing. She is immediate past Chair for the American Academy of Neurology Consortium of Neurology Advanced Practice Providers (CNAPP), representing over 2,000 clinicians with focus on education, recruitment, retention, recognition, mentorship, and networking of APPs. She is a founding board member of the Association of Movement Disorder Advanced Practice Providers (AMDAPP), focusing on development of a certification examination for APPs in movement disorders.
Please tell me a little about your background.
I am a nurse practitioner, which means I have a master’s degree in nursing plus extra clinical training, which allows me to evaluate, assess, diagnose, prescribe and manage the overall care for my patients. I have been working in Movement Disorders for 24 years, because I have the best patients and colleagues. My mom and her sisters were all nurses. It was their patient stories that interested me in pursuing nursing as a profession.
Can you tell me more about your Advocacy?
I advocate for education, recruitment, retention and recognition of advanced practice providers (APPs) in caring for patients with movement disorders – as part of the care team. With the growing demand for neurological care and a limited supply of neurologists, APPs—such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs)—offer a viable solution to improve access, enhance care quality, and reduce healthcare costs overall.
What is your passion and how did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
My passion is programming Deep Brain Stimulators – I get to see my patients get BETTER. But I have seen poor DBS outcomes, and this drives me to teach others to optimize this therapy properly and improve patient lives.
What type of goals does individuals with Parkinson’s have when seeing your Advocacy?
My PD patient’s ultimate goal is Improved quality of life. I advocate training the next generation of APPs to excel in all aspects of caring for patients with PD, from research, clinical acumen, performing procedures and managing care holistically with the patient always participating in shared decision making.
What type of training and how long are the programs?
Nurse practitioner and physician assistant programs can take 2 years. I have a doctorate in nursing practice which took me an additional 18 months.
What effect can your Advocacy have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
The overall effect of my advocacy on a PWP would be to have excellent care and quality of life.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your Advocacy?
I am working with the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the Association of Movement Disorder APPs (AMDAPP) to develop and execute APP training programs and a movement disorder certification exam to elevate the APP role in neurology.
What events do you participate in?
I actively present at the following meetings annually: American Academy of Neurology (AAN), American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training Program. Last year I gave 20 presentations on PD!
How does this also assist the caregivers?
In working as faculty for the Parkinson’s Foundation Team Training program, I help to educate on evidence based interdisciplinary approaches to caring for patients and families with PD. We train physicians, APPs, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, psychologists, and nurses, who bring it all back to their centers and touch the lives of patients and families all over the country. I have also worked with the Parkinson’s foundation CVS Project, which are free CME training modules that are made for community providers to learn about PD.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
https://profiles.mountsinai.org/joan-m-harper (I go by Miravite)
How can others also become advocates for awareness?
Participate in foundations, join support groups, civic engagement
In your opinion, what is the key to effective advocacy?
Knowing the issues and the players.
How can we better fundraise to support a cure for Parkinson’s?
Find more advocates
What other activities do you undertake to help improve and support your daily living Eg exercise and alternative remedies?
Exercise, sleep, eating well, spending time with my family and friends, cooking
Why should people who don’t have Parkinson’s care about this?
The number of PD patients only continues to rise. Knowledge is power and can help others.
If you had one song that would tell us more about you or represent your life, which song would it be?
Too many songs – hard to choose one
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
Keep doing what brings you joy.