Alumna says valuing diversity translates into patient trust

Samantha Gove, a 2016 alumna of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis family nurse practitioner program, shares how UC Davis prepared her to grow relationships with patients.

Family nurse practitioner Samantha Gove sees beyond the health issue that prompts patients to come in for a visit.

Her immediate insight into what’s going on in their lives outside of the clinic is a skill she never realized she would need. But she credits the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis with teaching her the valuable tools she now puts into practice every day working in an internal medicine department in a Sacramento-area clinic.

Family nurse practitioner Samantha Gove is a 2016 graduate of the School of Nursing working in a Sacramento-area internal medicine department.

“For the first time in my life, I really experienced diversity. The conversations among my fellow students and the faculty really opened my eyes,” said Gove, a Class of 2016 alumna of the family nurse practitioner program. “Now I think about a patient’s socioeconomic situation and the outside factors that influence their health. UC Davis taught me about those things.”

The opportunity to grow ongoing relationships with patients spurred Gove to become an advanced practice provider. The ability to learn in a school that values diversity — of backgrounds, experiences and professions — translates into trust in their care.

“You don’t have to be an expert at diagnostics for a patient to trust you. If they feel you’re really listening to what they say, that goes farther than a medical exam,” Gove said. “Because UC Davis did such a good job of being inclusive in all ways, it taught me to be cognizant of those things with every patient. Thinking about those things leads to more trustworthy relationships when you think, share and discuss it together.”

Gove added that her School of Nursing education also prepared her for the necessary clinical skills and knowledge, too.

She also learned those leadership skills that she now uses when working with others in the primary clinic in which she practices.

“The faculty are wonderful and so supportive during the program. Some of my favorite days in class were the guest lecturers from different specialty fields,” Gove said. “We were really lucky to be able to tap into all the expertise at UC Davis Health.”

“The School of Nursing prepared me to communicate with people across different levels of professions,” Gove said. “Now I’m able to really build those professional relations and feel comfortable with all my team members.”

The confidence Gove exudes with team members who aren’t nurse practitioners and patients who don’t share her background all point to the lessons learned and nurtured at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis.

“UC Davis is such a welcoming and open place. Differences are talked about openly,” Gove said. “I don’t think I could have experienced that at other schools. It is just so fulfilling and rewarding.”

Are you interested in applying to the family nurse practitioner program? If so, you can learn more on the program web pages. Prospective students may also sign up for the school’s email group to receive regular updates about the school’s graduate degree programs.