#NPWeek Faculty Feature: Linda Eddy

Linda Eddy

Linda Eddy is the Academic Director and Associate Dean for the College of Nursing on the Vancouver campus.  As a part of Nurse Practitioner Week 2022 Linda has shared some insights into her work as a pediatric nurse practitioner. 

Many faculty in the College of Nursing serve our communities by providing clinical services.  Dr. Eddy has been a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner for 36 years, and has worked in a number of primary care and specialty settings.  Currently, she works one day a week at the Amani Child Abuse Assessment Center in St. Helens, Oregon. 

In that role, Eddy serves as the Medical Provider on a multidisciplinary forensic team.  As one of the State of Oregon Child Abuse Assessment Centers, the focus of the Amani Center is on providing comprehensive, trauma-informed services to children who may have been abused and/or neglected.

On a typical day, the clinic sees two to three families.  The forensic interviewer and nurse practitioner meet with the family to answer questions about our processes. Then, the child receives a comprehensive medical examination in a safe space where they are able to tell the interviewer and nurse practitioner about anything that they are concerned about.  Following the medical examination, any child who is developmentally and emotionally ready for a video-recorded forensic interview is transitioned to the interview room.  Following the interview, the care providers may meet again with the family for a short summary. 

Clinical partners on the multidisciplinary team, such as Child Protective Services and/or Law Enforcement are often present and able to view the interview from another room. Although this is a job we all wish wasn’t necessary, Dr. Eddy finds her small part of this important work particularly meaningful and is honored to have offered this service for fourteen years.


This article is part of a series of features highlighting Nurse Practitioners during National Nurse Practitioner’s Week.