Nurse practitioner joins local clinic

Clarendon Family Medical Center this week is formally announcing that Kathryn Broussard has joined their staff as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Broussard grew up in DeQuincy, Louisiana, graduating from high school there before embarking on her climb up the career ladder as a nurse.

Becoming the first member of her family to graduate from college, Broussard started as a Vocational Nurse then worked her way up to a Registered Nurse, earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, and then graduated with her Master’s to become a nurse practitioner.
A nurse practitioner is similar to a Physician’s Assistant, Broussard says, with the main difference being the path of education.

“I just always wanted to be a nurse and help people,” she said.

Broussard gained 17 years of experience including time as an emergency room nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont. She then worked at an urgent care center but was looking for something different when a job recruiter contacted her about a position in Clarendon late last year.

The Texas Panhandle is familiar territory to Broussard. Her husband, Gabe, is a graduate of West Texas High School in Stinnett and has family in Fritch, Borger, and Panhandle.

Dr. John Howard interviewed Broussard by phone and later Facetime in January, and she started working at the clinic in February, she said.

The Broussards have three kids – Anna, 17; Madison, 14; and Gannon, 12. The two youngest kids live with Broussard in Clarendon. Anna lives is still with her father in Orange while she finishes her senior year, and then they will be moving here as well. Anna plans to attend Clarendon College to get her basic education.

“The situation has been quite an adjustment, but it’s working out,” she said.

Broussard is pleased with her move and her new job and says the community has been welcoming.

“I like it here. It’s amazing how nice everyone is,” she said. “It’s such a big difference from where I’m from how respectful everyone is.”

Broussard says her kids have already made friends in the community, and her husband is going to be able to continue his present job as a designer for a construction company by working from home in Clarendon.

Broussard is now seeing patients full time.