Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Barger.
Hi Elizabeth, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Healthcare is never where I expected to be, but always where I was destined. I grew up the daughter of a family nurse practitioner and pharmacist, granddaughter to a pharmacist, but my heart was with newspapers. My first two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Florida were journalism and Spanish, After working as a newspaper reporter for several years, I ended up staying home with my newborn daughter for awhile. During that time frame, I accepted my interest in healthcare, and applied to UF’s Accelerated BSN program. Upon graduation, I started working at Shands/UF Health Gainesville’s Level One trauma surgical ICU. Eventually, I decreased to part time and briefly worked as an ICU travel nurse. When my second child was born, I used that opportunity to go to grad school. I graduated with my FNP, and began working at a pediatric office. When Florida passed HB 607 granting autonomous practice to certain NPs, I immediately applied for that license and my husband and I decided now was the time to open our own office. During my entire nursing career, one consistent has been working as a summer camp nurse at a camp that has been part of my life since I was a 4th grade camper there myself. When deciding to open our office, I knew a camping theme would be perfect and Happy Camper Pediatrics was born. I wanted to have a friendly, fun, inviting office where kids feel celebrated and comfortable, and not afraid of the sterility of a typical medical office.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Paving the way as an autonomous APRN has been a struggle. Not all insurance companies immediately recognized that the state law changed. I had Sunshine Health medicaid terminate my medicaid contract for no cause, affecting hundreds of patients, and then a year later, terminate my CMS contract for no reason, affecting 175 medically complex children. Because of these fights, I have really stepped up my advocacy for patients. I am an active board member on the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners, currently serving as Communications Chair. I believe in advocating for my patients rights.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am most proud of so many families allowing me to play such a pivotal role in their child’s life, and it is particularly sweet to care for children now whose parents once were my pediatric patients. What a privilege it is to be able to watch a child grow and help keep them healthy.
I am relatable and can connect with people of varying backgrounds. I most often hear feedback that I actually was the first provider ever to listen to what people are saying.
Children actually are happy to come to the office, and I hear that all the time from parents that they are so surprised their children can’t wait to come to a medical office.
Everything I have done throughout my life has prepared me for where I am. From being able to speak Spanish to Spanish-speaking only patients, to being able to know what type of questions to ask and how to ask them this all contributes to my daily life as an APRN.
I am accessible.
I have only ever worked in pediatrics as a nurse practitioner, so have almost a decade of pediatric-specific experience.
Thanks to my amazing patients, Happy Campers has won the Best of the 352 Gold for Pediatrics for three years.
I also was honored to speak as the Pediatrics speaker for the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioner’s NP Business Boot Camp in 2025.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Human connection is at the root of it all. Beyond anything else, I care for my patients and our community.
Whether as a newspaper reporter, camp nurse, or APRN, I have learned how to connect to people.
I have grown up active in the Florida United Methodist Church, most specifically with the local UM summer camp, and I often think how those teachings in my life impact who I am as a person and how I see a need to treat the whole person with an open heart and open mind.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://happycamperpediatrics.com
