Megan J. Barton, ARNP

Despite her original path of pursuing academia, Megan Barton, FNP-BC, feels she was destined to become a medical professional. Her great-great-grandfather was a surgeon and started his own hospital and nursing school in rural Wisconsin, and her father is a retired surgeon in rural Maine. “My greatest inspiration was my mother, who practiced as a nurse anesthetist for over 40 years and was a pioneer for this nursing specialty,” Megan says. “I appreciate the opportunities afforded to advanced family nursing practice that allow for the fluidity within the profession, as well as the connection to families and communities around the goals of health promotion.”

For Megan, the most important skill any provider can have is active listening. “Each patient has an important story regarding their health experience and it’s my job to listen to this story and understand how they may need my help,” she says. Megan views the relationship between herself and someone she is providing care for to be a mutual partnership. She believes in developing relationships through patient-centered care. “The patient and I work together as a team to understand their needs and match them with the best-practice treatment decisions.” She says that her role is to provide the best clinical and medical information so that the patient can make an informed decision regarding their care. In addition, Megan loves working in a rural community where she can see her patients and colleagues in all settings of their lives. “I find this connection creates a health community and healthy individuals,” she adds, and would like patients to know that she is an advocate for their health goals, and enjoys solving complex health problems.

Megan earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Nursing.

Although she was born in Cleveland, Ohio, Megan grew up in both Birmingham, Michigan, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has three grown children and enjoys all forms of biking, racing cyclo-cross, is a certified mountain biking coach, and an instructor with the Trek Dirt Series. Megan likes backcountry skiing, ultra-trail running and hiking with her husband, and is Search and Rescue volunteer for Hood River County, as well as a Nordic ski patroller at Teacup Lake with the Mt. Hood Ski Patrol.