Bilingual Nurse Practitioner Francisca Turen Burgos Joins Akron Medical Center
Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger
Photographer / Jubilee Edgell
Over the past few years, the principles of medical care have been broadened and redefined. More than ever, it has become imperative that the relationships between professionals and their patients are rooted in empathy and trust.
Francisca Turen Burgos knows this philosophy very well, and bears that in mind with every individual she attends to. Becoming a medical professional is the culmination of a dream she has harbored since childhood. She has been so dedicated in the pursuit of this goal that she has traveled the world to achieve it.
Burgos has joined Akron Medical Center as a family nurse practitioner, and has been a member of the staff since October of 2022. She works with patients for diagnoses and treatments within a range of health conditions, from common to chronic. When necessary, Burgos can also provide referrals for more complex issues, and she is able to offer consultations with patients about a diverse array of measures for preventative, individualized care.
“I am the go-to person when somebody has an acute illness, and I manage the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, elevated blood pressure, thyroid problems, etcetera,” Burgos says. “One of my favorite parts of primary care is preventative medicine. Patients are encouraged to schedule an annual wellness visit with the purpose of assessing their current health status and personalized care, with the goal of preventing illness and promoting health lifestyles in order to improve their quality of life.”
Burgos carries an extensive knowledge earned on a truly global scale. She is bilingual thanks to her Chilean upbringing, and is fluent in Spanish. She is also very immersed in the heritage and culture, and is thankful to be able to transcend the language barrier that may be an intimidating factor for those in the Spanish-speaking community.
“The health care system is very difficult to navigate, especially when they do not speak your language or do not understand your needs,” Burgos says. “Having a health care provider who speaks your language alleviates anxiety about communication and increases trust, which is an essential part of the therapeutic relationship between patient and health care provider, while patient satisfaction and health care outcomes improve.”
Burgos’s formal medical training began in her native Chile, where she studied nursing and midwifery, ultimately graduating from Catholic University of Chile in 2012. She then began working in neurological rehabilitation in a surgical unit for a Chilean charitable foundation called Teletón, specifically caring for young patients. Realizing that she would need to learn English in order to move forward professionally, she moved to New Zealand on a working holiday visa. There, she continued working alongside patients with disabilities for three years, mastering English along the way. She also met the man who would become her husband.
After spending some time in Chile once again to be closer to her family, Burgos’s new husband was able to secure a job in Indiana. Upon settling in the Hoosier state, she studied tirelessly for her boards and was successful in transferring her licensing credentials to America. She worked as a registered nurse in the medical-surgical and intensive-care units at a hospital in Plymouth, while simultaneously studying for her Master of Science in Nursing degree.
“The experience was emotionally, physically and mentally draining, but I was happy to be there helping others, and especially being there for the Latinx community in Plymouth,” she says. Upon graduating from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in 2022, she then accepted her current position in Akron, where the clinic is an affiliate of the Woodlawn Hospital network.
Striving to achieve this career milestone was a rewarding accomplishment for Burgos in itself, but was definitely a greater challenge against the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak. Ultimately, however, Burgos says it revealed a new perspective on the importance of being ever mindful of her patients’ needs.
“After these difficult years of the pandemic, it is only worth noting this as an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the value of life, our health, and the health of our loved ones,” she says.
Prospective patients are welcome to contact Burgos and the staff at Akron Medical Center at 574-598-2020. The clinic is located at 105 State Road 14 in Akron.
