Posted by Bonita Pilon on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 in News.

This nurse owned pediatric practice in the heart of the Permian Basin in West Texas is a smashing success by all measures.  Owner and clinical provider, Tamara Bavousett, DNP, PNP-BC reports that her office cares for more than 4000 active patients (newborns through college age) who generated 9800 patient visits in the past 12 months. About 33% of her patients are enrolled in Medicaid.  The others are self pay (meaning they do not have insurance and receive a discount based on income) or privately insured through programs like Blue Cross/Blue Shield and other commercial insurance companies.

The name of her practice, Compass, may be a metaphor for her career.  She always had a keen sense of direction for her chosen field.  Tamara entered the local community college nursing program while still a senior in high school. Through a special program she was able to take both high school courses and college courses–in nursing.  When she finished high school she had only one more year in the community college before she graduated with her Associates Degree in Nursing and was able to sit and pass the national RN license exam.

Tamara Bavousett, DNP gives discharge instructions to a patient's mother

Never one to sit still, she pursued her Bachelors in Nursing soon after starting work. She was always drawn to pediatrics and worked in Dallas at Children’s Hospital early in her career. But Odessa is her home so she returned to West Texas to help start a mobile Ronald McDonald van to reach remote children for primary and preventive care.  Along the way she received her Master of Science in Nursing degree, specializing in pediatric primary care.  Because education drives her quest to be better and offer quality services to kids in Odessa, Tamara dove head first into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Texas Tech, some two and half hours away.  Over several years, while raising her family and working, she completed her DNP degree.  When I listen to her describe the evolution of Compass Pediatrics, it is apparent to me that the advanced knowledge she acquired in the doctoral program have had a significant and positive impact on the quality and growth of Compass.

The financial side of her business is successful, too.  She employs four full time staff as well as herself; her husband and mother both work in the practice in support positions as well.

Christie and Berenice, clinical staff, serve patients from the Nurses Island at Compass

The office is bright and cheerful and the patients are very happy with their nurse provider. As one father told me, “She is always available. We can contact her and she responds. That means a lot when you have a young baby.”  One of the mothers in the office works at a local hospital. When she was pregnant she asked the nursery nurses which pediatric providers they recommended.  “They all liked Tamara,” she said.  “I listened to them, met with her before my baby was born, and decided she would be the best fit for our family.  We are very happy with our choice.”