Dr. Brown-Smith hopes to open her own women-led practice with different areas of expertise, specialties and cultures.
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC, September 19, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dr. Denequal Brown-Smith, DNP, MSN, APRN, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Inspired by both of her grandmothers, Dr. Brown-Smith was driven to pursue a career in gerontology. When she was very young, they would visit and talk to the sick and shut-in members of their church. At the age of seven, Dr. Brown-Smith learned how to give insulin injections to one of her grandmothers, who suffered from diabetes and heart failure. This also served as inspiration for her to practice nursing in a heart failure unit. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Queens University of Charlotte in 2011, she began her career as a registered nurse on a heart failure telemetry medical-surgical unit for Cone Health, where she worked between 2012 and 2018. During that time, she also worked as a nurse manager for Piedmont Health Services, Inc. and as a registered nurse manager of clinical practice and quality assurance with Charlotte Community Health Clinic.
Upon graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina with a Doctor of Nursing Practice in adult-gerontology nursing, Dr. Brown-Smith became the chief compliance and nursing officer for Charlotte Community Health Clinic. Since obtaining the role in 2021, she has served as an internal consultant for the organization to ensure that it maintains compliance with different accrediting agencies. She also examines data points, conducts quality improvement (QI) meetings and implements QI initiatives, and develops policy and procedure development for clinical teams. Dr. Brown-Smith also developed a care management team consisting of various healthcare professionals tasked with providing services for high-risk patients. Additionally, she conducts in-services and training for the staff and provides external consulting work for other organizations and healthcare entities. Dr. Brown-Smith is also the owner of Graceful Consulting, LLC and is an active member of the North Carolina Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, and the National Association of Healthcare Quality.
Long dedicated to civic advocacy, Dr. Brown-Smith has contributed to her community as an operations board member for K.M. Elite Club, a nonprofit that provides services for children. She participates in outreach events, organizes health fairs, volunteers in weekend sports to keep children safe, and is a member of AIDS Walk Charlotte. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she spoke to community church leaders regarding the importance of vaccinations. To commemorate her accomplishments, she received the I Care Award in 2014 and was honored many times for quality care through the Charlotte Community Health Clinic. In a career filled with highlights, she is most proud of earning her doctoral degree, and of her growth and contributions to the Charlotte Community Health Clinic. She built three robust programs for quality improvement and compliance, which includes the care management team she developed to provide care for high-risk patients. Since Dr. Brown-Smith joined the organization, she brought in funding amounting to approximately $150,000 for quality improvement. This money contributes to the overall quality of patient care in the facility.
Dr. Brown-Smith attributes her success to her passion, inner drive and perseverance. She also credits her solid family support system, especially her two sons. Achieving success solidified her belief that anything is possible if you put your mind to it and work hard. Dr. Brown-Smith believes that everyone has a purpose in this world, and it is important to find that purpose and do what you love.
As part of her involvement with the North Carolina Nurses Association, Dr. Brown-Smith advocates for full practice authority in the hopes of establishing her own practice without a supervising physician in the next five years. She wants to continue to work with the North Carolina Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association to advocate for independent practice for nurse practitioners. Dr. Brown-Smith hopes to open her own women-led practice with different areas of expertise, specialties and cultures.
Dr. Brown-Smith lives by the words of Henry David Thoreau, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined. It won't be easy, but it will all be worth it."
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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