Mary Verderame

Ms. Verderame has been a registered nurse in the state of Pennsylvania, USA for over 38 years. She worked as an emergency room nurse in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for years. In the late 1990’s, she returned to Widener University to complete her Master of Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), graduating with honours and as a member of Sigma Theta Tau in 2000. Ms. Verderame entered private practice, in this advanced practice nursing role and provided evidenced based healthcare to both individuals and families. She managed acute and chronic illness, while focusing on preventative services and patient education. Her primary care practice included taking medical histories, preforming physical exams, assessing and diagnosing, prescribing medications, ordering tests, radiological scans, immunizations and appropriate referrals to specialty practices.

In 2002 Ms. Verderame became a member of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners (PCNP). She co-founded the Southern Chester County Nurse Practitioner Coalition in Pennsylvania and served in leadership roles as regional representative, member of the executive board, and was elected President in 2009 serving four years. She promoted the advancement of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) role with the goal of improving healthcare for all in the state of Pennsylvania. Ms. Verderame, an advocate for the role of the NP, worked with physicians and legislators at the state and federal level to promote the advanced practice role to expand access to healthcare for individuals and families and to reduce stress on the healthcare system in communities in need. Ms. Verderame’s knowledge and expertise led her to also specialize as an expert NP witness, preceptor and mentor.

In 2010 Ms. Verderame joined the Federal Nursing Service as a Primary Care NP at Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She continued her advocacy and held leadership roles, serving on the Hospital Medical Peer Review Committee. Ms. Verderame will be retiring from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2025. Her dedication to her patient’s and her leadership expertise over the past 25 years in promoting the expanded nursing role of the Nurse Practitioner will be missed. Ms. Verderame’s efforts, expertise, dedication will be remembered in nursing history.