Heather Augustyniak, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

Position

APRN Liaison

Heather Augustyniak, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is an accomplished oncology nurse practitioner with a distinguished career spanning various specialized fields within oncology nursing. Before stepping into the advanced role of an APRN, Heather honed her skills as a registered nurse (RN), contributing significantly to the care of patients undergoing bone marrow transplants at Mayo Clinic Florida and then as an ambulatory infusion RN at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.  She began her tenure as a nurse practitioner at Northwestern Medicine with a clinical focus on cancer survivorship and gynecologic oncology.  During that time, she also completed the Coleman Foundation Palliative Medicine two-year fellowship program and developed disease-specific APP led survivorship clinics.   With nearly a decade dedicated to women’s cancer care she then expanded her clinical specialty to include breast oncology with an interest in screening and prevention of cancers.

Heather returned to her hometown of Jacksonville, Florida in January 2020 to develop the L.I.F.E. Survivorship Program at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center as the Lead Survivorship Advanced Practice Provider.  She has been instrumental in the development and oversight of the L.I.F.E. Survivorship Program, delivering comprehensive medical, psychosocial, and educational services to cancer survivors. She also spearheaded the Oncology Women’s Sexual Health Clinic and revitalized the High-Risk Breast Screening and Prevention Clinic. Heather’s patient-centric philosophy of care involves collaborative engagement with patients and their families to formulate personalized treatment plans that address the unique challenges faced by cancer survivors, thereby enhancing their overall health outcomes and quality of life.

Heather’s unwavering commitment extends to the advancement of the Advanced Practice Provider (APP) role. As the inaugural president of the APP Employee Resource Group at Baptist Health, she focuses on fostering professional growth, recognition, and empowerment of APPs, thereby creating a nurturing and supportive environment. Her contributions to oncology nursing, survivorship care, and APP advocacy reflect her dedication to excellence, innovation, and compassionate care in the oncology field.