I am Katherine E. Tucker, DNP, RN, APRN-BC, NE-BC, Clinical Program Director of HVC Outpatient Programs, is the Clinical Program Director for Heart & Vascular Center (HVC) Outpatient Programs at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) and the immediate past President of Southern Connecticut Black Nurses Association, Inc. I have been a nurse for more than 27 years and received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science of Nursing Degrees from Quinnipiac University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. I am a Board-Certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and a Board-Certified Nurse Executive. The area of focus for my doctoral work was on transitional care. Particularly focusing of preventative measures to assist patients with heart failure with avoiding hospital readmissions. During my career at YNHH, I provided project leadership for the construction and clinical development of the HVC Outpatient Cardiology practices located at the Yale Physicians Building second floor (YPB2) and the Transitional Care Center (TCC), Branford Outpatient Cardiology Practice and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, and the HVC Aortic Center. I worked on the expansion of the Sherman Avenue Cardiology Clinic and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. I assisted in the development of the disease management program for patients with heart failure who are transitioning from the inpatient to outpatient setting.

I served as the New Haven Chair for the EmPowered to Serve® program and am currently the Program Leader for the Target BP Program and Barbershop Initiative in New Haven, CT, a collaboration with the American Heart Association. I work in collaboration with the American Heart Association to educate communities affected by various health conditions, like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, by providing steps to improve health, quality of life and to provide cardiovascular disease prevention education.

I have presented at conferences regarding the importance of high-quality Transitional Care, especially for Heart Failure patients, and the need for more organizations to improve the continuum of care from the hospital bed to the clinic, to the skilled nursing or rehab facility, and to the home. I am a native of West Haven, CT and currently serve as the Councilwoman for West Haven’s 7th district and has also been reelected to for a second time on the Board of Directors of the National Black Nurses Association. I have five children and six grandchildren.