By Adilene Guzman
HAPPI Health Outreach Coordinator
We are excited to announce that HAPPI Health now has a Hispanic Clinic. Our bilingual family nurse practitioner Claudia Carson runs the weekly clinic Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. All her staff is fluent in Spanish, which helps patients feel a sense of trust and understanding without the fear of their medical concerns being lost in translation.
To celebrate the opening of the Hispanic Clinic at HAPPI Health, we spoke to Claudia to learn more about her and the clinic.
When did you realize you wanted to become a nurse practitioner?
Carson: “Through my ten years of experience as a bedside nurse, I witnessed many situations where Spanish-speaking patients
were not educated on their medical conditions. I wanted to teach my patients so they could make informed decisions. So, one day, I decided it was time to be a practitioner to have the ability to provide for their medical needs directly.”
How does your profession inspire you?
Carson: “My patients inspire me. When a Spanish-speaking patient thanks me for taking the time to explain things to them in a way they can understand, it brings me so much joy.”
Does being a bilingual nurse practitioner make your job more challenging?
Carson: “No, it’s a blessing to communicate with my patients in Spanish. I know it can be stressful and challenging to navigate the medical environment with a language barrier. However, I find joy in connecting with patients and helping them with their medical needs.”
How does it feel to serve the Hispanic community in our city by working at the Hispanic Clinic at HAPPI Health?
Carson: “I am grateful to be in this position where I can give back to my community. I know that my family is very proud of my accomplishments. They made the difficult decision to leave their country to give my sisters and me a better life. I am humbled to have come so far, in so I’m honoring their sacrifices.”
Can you tell us something you would like HAPPI Health patients to know about you?
Carson: “I was born and raised in Honduras and moved to Florida when I was seven without knowing English. I spent my first year of school in the US with my head down, crying because I could not understand anything. My highly driven mother transferred me to a different school with resources for children of other languages to learn English. That is when I began to thrive as a student, and I began to dream big. I always wanted to be a doctor like my uncle in Honduras. As I got older and volunteered at hospitals, I gravitated towards nursing more. I met my wonderful husband of 10 years as an undergrad student at UF. Go Gators! We now have two beautiful children and love spending time together on the weekends. We are so happy to call sweet home Alabama our home.”
In addition, our Hispanic Clinic is located at our new office on 115 Saint Clair Ave. STE 200 Huntsville, AL 35801, on the second floor of the Outpatient Diagnostic Center building. Call us to book your appointment today
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