Nurse Practitioner, Provider

Jennifer Bell is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and a certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). She has been at the Bateman Horne Center (BHC) since February 2021. Jennifer has been practicing as a FNP since 1994 and has extensive experience in primary care, women’s health, HIV/AIDS, and now specializes in diagnosis, treatment, and research related to Long COVID, ME/CFS, fibromyalgia (FM) and related comorbidities.

Jennifer was hired at BHC as part of a team to develop the first Long COVID clinic in Utah. Since then, her time has been dedicated to the challenge of learning about and managing Long COVID along with ME/CFS and FM. Her time at BHC has been a culmination of her entire nursing career, bringing together her experience as a general and women’s health practitioner and her interest in infectious disease and research. Most importantly, Jennifer finds deep satisfaction in working with patients who need a provider who is willing to listen and untangle the complexities of post-infectious fatigue syndromes.

In addition to providing clinical care, Jennifer has been a sub-investigator for six research studies at BHC involving ME/CFS, FM, and Long COVID. In the 1990s she was integral in the development of the Center for Clinical Studies at the University of Utah and was a sub-investigator on numerous studies for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and herpes.

One of BHC’s primary missions is to vastly expand primary care provider knowledge of ME/CFS, FM, and Long COVID. Jennifer is actively participating in this mission by precepting PA students and doctoral FNP students and providing direct clinical opportunities for visiting physicians and other providers. This past summer, Jennifer was a speaker at the National Nurse Practitioner Symposium in Keystone, Colorado where she lectured on the evaluation and management of post-viral fatigue syndromes and their co-morbidities. Since then, she has presented case studies for BHC’s Long COVID & Post-Viral Syndromes ECHO series with the University of Utah Health. Jennifer is also a lead mentor for this education series, creating a network of knowledgeable providers around the U.S. and Canada.

Education and Training

Personal Statement

My mother inspired my career in nursing.  When I was 10, I watched her go back to school to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and to volunteer as an EMT for our rural town in eastern Pennsylvania.  I loved looking at her anatomy books and listening to her work stories. I admired her courage and compassion. After high school, at age 17, I decided to work as a nurse’s aide in our local hospital. Over the next 14 years, I studied to become a registered nurse (RN), worked as a trauma ICU nurse, and eventually attended the University of Utah to complete my MS/FNP program in 1994.  

My FNP career has been diverse and fulfilling. Through all of it, what I have loved the most is being with my patients, hearing their stories and working with them to help them heal and live healthier lives. Untangling a complicated history or piecing together seemingly unrelated symptoms nurtured my intellectual curiosity and added to my overall fulfillment. When I found a BHC job posting online, I was immediately intrigued. Further investigation of the BHC website, testimonials, research grants, and partners convinced me that I wanted to be part of this center of excellence.

At this point in my career, being a provider at the BHC is very meaningful and feels like the culmination of all I have worked for over the past 28 years. I appreciate the importance of working with a patient population that has complex stories and needs an active partner in health care. I am excited to participate in the growing body of knowledge through research in ME/CFS, FM, and Long COVID. And finally, I feel very fortunate to learn from and work with an amazingly dedicated group of clinicians and staff.

Positions and Honors

  Research Experience

Teaching Experience

Research Publications

Cognitive Impairment in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 and Short Duration Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis Patients is Mediated by Orthostatic Hemodynamic Changes. Day H, Yellman B, Hammer S, Rond C, Bell J, Abbaszadeh S, Stoddard G, Unutmaz, D, Bateman L, and Vernon SD. Front. Neurosci. 17:1203514. Doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1203515.

Post-exertional Malaise Among People with Long COVID Compared to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Vernon SD, Hartle M, Sullivan K, Bell J, Abbaszadeh S, Unutmaz D, Bateman L. Work 74 (2023) 1179-1186. doi: 10.3233/WOR-220581.

Orthostatic Challenge Causes Distinctive Symptomatic, Hemodynamic and Cognitive Responses in Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Vernon SD, Funk S, Bateman L, Stoddard GJ, Hammer S, Sullivan K, Bell J, Abbaszadeh S, Lipkin Chronic Fatigue AL. Front. Med. 9:917019. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.917019

Professional Organizations

• Utah Nurse Practitioner Association – Presently and 1994 to 1998
• Maine Nurse Practitioner Association – October 1999 to 2014
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners – October 2012 to 2017
• National Ski Patrol – 2012 to 2018

Certifications and Licensure

• State of Utah and Hawaii APRN License
• State of Utah and Hawaii APRN Controlled Substances and DEA Licenses
• American Nurses Credentialing Center, Family Nurse Practitioner certification, valid through 11/2024
• Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) Certified 2012 to 2018
• Basic Life Support (BLS) 1979 to present