A Childhood Dream Becomes Reality

When Vanessa Frank was five years old, she accidentally cut her finger deeply enough to require stitches. The doctor who performed the procedure discouraged Vanessa from watching as he worked, but Vanessa, curious about what was happening, watched the doctor’s every move through the reflection in her mother’s eyeglasses. Rather than being afraid, she found the entire process fascinating. “I thought it was so cool that I could see my bone!” Vanessa recalled.

From that day on, Vanessa told her family she was going to take care of people the way her doctor did. At age sixteen, she trained to become a nursing assistant.

After high school, Vanessa earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology, with a minor in Chemistry. She then earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New York University. After practicing nursing for several years, Vanessa returned to college, earning a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Washington School of Nursing.

As a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Vanessa says her greatest joy in her work is that she is able to help people when they need it the most. “I love working with kids and their families and helping them navigate through healthcare challenges to be the healthiest they can possibly be.”

Vanessa is excited to continue her career at CBHA where her new role will provide her with the opportunities she was seeking as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. “I wanted to work in a rural area, practicing a comprehensive and well-rounded approach with my patients, seeing them regularly and throughout treatment, rather than often referring them to specialists, as so often happens in a city practice.”

In her free time, Vanessa enjoys reading, working out, crafts, and scrapbooking. She and her husband also enjoy working on projects around their new house, spending time with their children, 13-year-old Don, and 16-month-old Timothy. Vanessa says her German roots favored an early preference to a meat and potatoes diet, but she loves fruits and vegetables, and hopes to plant a garden in the yard of her family’s new home.

Having worked at Harborview Medical Center as a nurse on the west side of the state, Vanessa regularly communicated in Spanish as she performed medical exams, so she looks forward to refreshing her Spanish-speaking skills.

“I’m really excited about being here and getting to know the community and CBHA,” Vanessa said. CBHA is equally excited to have Vanessa Frank as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Welcome, Vanessa!

View Vanessa Frank's WELCOME VIDEO.