For the City-Times

Ministry Health Care is pleased to announce that Chin-Feng Dani Lai, DNP, APNP, has earned a doctorate of nursing practice degree. Lai provides care in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Ministry Medical Group, Stevens Point.

With her additional training, Lai is transitioning from an advance practice nurse at the graduate level to the doctoral level – a response to changes in healthcare delivery and emerging healthcare needs. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), doctoral candidates gain additional knowledge in content areas that have been identified by practicing nurses. AACN adds, “In addition, the knowledge required to provide leadership in the discipline of nursing is so complex and rapidly changing that additional or doctoral level education is needed.”

The benefits of a practice-focused doctoral nursing program include:

• enhanced knowledge to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes
• enhanced leadership skills to strengthen practice and health care delivery
• development of needed advanced competencies for increasingly complex clinical, and leadership roles
• parity with other health professions
• enhanced ability to attract individuals to nursing from non-nursing backgrounds
• improved image of nursing

“There’s no question that healthcare is changing rapidly,” Lai said. “Earning my doctorate has helped me to see the bigger picture. I value helping patients and their families navigate the complex healthcare system in order to achieve the best outcomes. I also place tremendous value on collaborating with the rest of the healthcare team. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.”

At Ministry Medical Group, Stevens Point, Lai provides preventive care and prenatal/postpartum care.  She has a special interest in treating women’s health issues, including depression, anxiety, menopause, sexual transmitted infections, and incontinence.

Lai received her master’s degree from the nursing-family nurse practitioner program at UW-Oshkosh in 2007. She received her doctor of nursing practice degree from UW-Oshkosh in May, 2014. She received the Clow Social Science Award on her master’s degree research project, “Factors that Influence Cervical Cancer Screening Among Chinese College Students.” She is currently involved in a clinical research project at Ministry Health Care on how to practice more efficiently, improve patient care and outcomes.

Lai has been part of the Wisconsin Nurses Association continuing education conference planning committee since 2008. She participates in the women’s health track. The group focuses on women’s health issues and recruits national and local speakers to provide clinical and pharmacological updates to Wisconsin advanced practice registered nurses to bring the most current research to practitioner’s everyday practices. She also serves on a subcommittee for research or clinical poster presentation planning.

Lai serves as secretary and board member of American Suzuki Foundation. She said, “I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn music and share the special humanitarian characteristics of music in the community.”

Lai is a cultural resource to Portage County and speaks fluent Mandarin and Taiwanese.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 715.342.7750

About Ministry Health Care

Ministry Health Care, which includes the recently acquired Affinity Health System, is an integrated health care delivery system serving more than 1.1 million people across Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. Ministry operations generate more than $2.2 billion in annual operating revenue with 15 hospitals, 46 clinics and nearly 12,000 employees. More than 650 physicians and advanced practice clinicians provide personalized care at Ministry primary and specialty care clinic locations. Home health care, hospice and long-term care services are also provided across the region.

Ministry was founded by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother more than 120 years ago to further the healing ministry of Jesus by continually improving the health and well-being of all people, especially the poor. Ministry is ranked among the top 20 percent of health care systems in the country by Truven Health Analytics, formerly Thomson Reuters.