Catherine Fuller Joins CVH Staff Of Primary Care Providers

Longtime Carson Valley resident and family nurse practitioner Catherine Fuller is the latest addition to the staff of primary care providers at Carson Valley Health.

Carson Valley Health has added four new providers to its network of six clinics around Carson Valley in recent months in an effort to expand access to primary care within the community.

Fuller’s career has ranged a wide variety of focuses from physical therapy and public health to obstetrics and teaching, among many other areas.

“Carson Valley Health gave me an opportunity and now I am home,” Fuller said. “This is a good season of my life to go forward, take everything I have learned and apply it to where I live.”

“I love living and working in this community,” Fuller said. “I don’t mind seeing people at the grocery store or the car wash. I’m passionate about taking care of my neighbors and that’s why I chose to work for Carson Valley Health instead of any place else.”

Fuller, who moved to Carson Valley in 1993, has a degree in physical therapy along with her RN and master’s in nursing education. She instructed more than 300 nursing students over the course of six years at Western Nevada College during her career there before going back to school in 2014 to become a family nurse practitioner.

“In my nursing profession, I was a school nurse for a short period of time, worked in public finance, worked for Medicaid,” she said. “ I believe I take everything that I have learned and apply a broad knowledge to where I am at now. I’m thankful for the opportunity to bring so many backgrounds to what I do now.”

Fuller said her approach is patient-focused.

“My patients are the heroes of their own story,” she said. “Outside of the one hour you spend with me, you have a life, you have a history, you have stories, you have your life. I’m just the trusted guide. I’m here to help you see what you want for your health.”

“That is my heart. It’s your life to live, it’s your place. I just come alongside, give you the best information and the best care I can. A lot of people have more than one issue when they come. It’s very hard to just say I’m just going to help you with your back pain. It might be chronic pain or other areas; nutrition or they need to move more. We talk about pain and stress and simple tips on how to handle those moments where they feel pain.”

“One of the biggest issues today is people have multiple complex issues. It’s not a pill that will fix you in one day. We have a very immediate society with such an immediate access to information. Sometimes it’s a matter of drawing people back to ‘it’ll take some time.’ I’ll walk with you through that path to get where you’re going.”

Fuller will practice at Minden Family Medicine, 1649 Lucerne Street. Call (775) 782-1603 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Carson Valley Health is a nonprofit medical organization that provides acute and ICU care, surgery, 24-hour emergency services, primary care and outpatient services throughout Carson Valley.

A partnership of Barton Health and Renown Health, Carson Valley Health’s mission is to care for the health and wellness of our community by providing accessible, affordable, high-quality healthcare for all. For more information, visit www.cvmchospital.org.