After flying high off her celebrity status during her senior year in high school (Valerie was head varsity cheerleader and homecoming queen) and years of rearing her son Joel single handedly, Nurse Practitioner Valerie Payne finally settled on pursuing a higher education in nursing.

NP Payne obtained her Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and then her Associate of Science degree in Nursing from Santa Monica Community College in 1995. She proudly graduated with honors. NP Payne then pursued her undergraduate degree in Nursing Science from California State University Los Angeles, graduating magna cum laude in 2001. NP Payne then obtained her Masters degree in Nursing Science-Adult Nurse Practitioner tract from CSULA in 2006.

NP Payne has worked as a registered nurse for the County of Los Angeles since early 1996. She first worked for Olive View-UCLA Medical Center as a Relief RN, medical surgical/telemetry/oncology nursing. Two years later, she transferred to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department where she worked as a jail nurse. Again, two years later and still behind the bars, NP Payne transferred to the Department of Mental Health ultimately promoting to a Mental Health Counselor RN. Her primary duties mandated by the Department of Justice, were to determine whether newly incarcerated individuals were suicidal, homicidal, mentally ill, intoxicated or any combination there of and to segregate them accordingly. She also worked as a Mental Health instructor for Sheriff’s personnel, teaching basic mental health concepts and behaviors that identified the mentally ill among the general population. NP Payne was promoted to Mental Health Counselor RN Supervisor in 2007, but it was time to get out of jail. Later that same year, NP Payne landed her first NP position with the Department of Anesthesiology at OV-UCLA Medical Center.

Currently, NP Payne works in the very fast-paced Anesthesiology Pre-op Clinic. She performs pre-op evaluations; orders diagnostic tests; orders pre-op medications; analyzes test results and reports potential problems to the Anesthesiology team of physicians.

During her time away from work, NP Payne devotes herself to family and close friends. She also loves to read, watch old movies and travel when permitted.

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