Darlene Long, MS, ANP-BC, RNFA
Nurse Practitioner, Minimally Invasive Procedure Specialists
About Me
Education & Training
Undergraduate – Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1982
Graduate Education – Master of Science, Adult Nurse Practitioner
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 2005
Certificate NP- RNFA (Registered Nurse First Assistant)
National Institute of First Assisting – in conjunction with College of Southern Nevada School of Nursing, 2012
Board Certification
Adult Nurse Practitioner, American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) 2005, 2010, 2015.
Licensure
Registered Nurse 1982 – present
Registered Adult Nurse Practitioner –2005 – present; prescriptive privileges 11/06 – present
Biography
Darlene grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1982. She began her nursing career at Duke University, where she worked in cardiothoracic surgery for 5 years. Darlene then spent 2 1/2 years as a traveling ICU nurse in various locations around the U.S., settling in Denver in 1988. She worked at Porter Hospital ICU for 3 years, then joined the transplant team there as a Transplant Coordinator in 1991, working in all aspects of kidney, pancreas, and liver transplantation, and program development. Darlene completed a Master’s Degree in Science as an Adult Nurse Practitioner in 2005. She continued to work in transplant as a nurse practitioner until January 2009.
During her time working in transplantation, Darlene was involved in multiple professional organizations. She was a charter member of the International Transplant Nurses Society, planning and speaking at many national and international conferences. She served on the board of directors for ITNS 2005-2007. She served as chair of ITNS Advanced Practice Nurse Special Interest Group 2008-2010. She was a founder and charter member of the Colorado chapter of ITNS.
In 2009, Darlene shifted the focus of her practice to general and complex hepatobiliary surgery. She completed a certificate program for Registered Nurse First Assisting in 2012. Surgical experience also includes assisting on da Vinci Robotic laparoscopic procedures. She enjoyed all aspects of caring for surgical patients, with a special interest in complex hepatobiliary diseases and cancers (liver, bile duct, and pancreatic diseases).
Joining MIPS in January 2020, Darlene is excited to start a new adventure and continue lifelong learning with a focus on interventional radiology and minimally invasive procedures.
Personal
Darlene is married and has 3 adult children. She enjoys music, theater, reading, watching college sports (especially basketball), and gardening with her husband.