Hi! I’m Dr. Liz Espinoza, DNP, CPNP-AC.
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner | Nursing Educator | Healthcare Leader | Creator
My Story ⚓
When I was growing up, I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist — a goal my parents found unusual enough that they encouraged me to start volunteering at our local children’s hospital to spend some time around sick children. What began as a way to “see if I was serious” quickly became formative. When the volunteer coordinator learned that I played the violin, I was paired with the hospital’s music therapist, and my fascination with the mind–body connection and the use of music as medicine began.
That curiosity only deepened as I went on to work as a music therapist in pediatric hospice and palliative care. Witnessing how sound, presence, and connection could ease suffering sparked a broader interest in disease, physiology, and how the body responds to illness. For a time, I thought medical school was my path. But listening to some of my smallest patients talk about how much they loved their nurse practitioners shifted something for me. I realized that was who I wanted to be.
After nursing school, I began my career as a new graduate nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit — an experience that was, at times, overwhelming and humbling. During my third shift as a PICU nurse, my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Six months later, following a stem cell transplant, he developed H1N1 influenza and ARDS and required ICU care himself. Although I understood the medicine, living through those moments as a daughter exposed me to the uncertainty, emotional weight, and isolation families experience when someone they love is critically ill.
Those years also held joy. While our time was shorter than we hoped, we made the most of the eight years we had together as my father lived with cancer. That experience profoundly shaped how I understand illness — not only as a clinical process, but as something that unfolds within families, relationships, and time, reminding me of life’s inherent uncertainty and the importance of presence and meaning in the moments we are given. A year after my father’s death, my mother received a kidney transplant — an experience that brought deep gratitude and joy alongside the sobering recognition that her second chance at life was made possible through the unexpected death of someone else. Holding both truths at once further shaped how I think about life, illness, and suffering, and the ways they are often intertwined with generosity, grief, and meaning.
Although I initially planned to continue on immediately to complete my education as a pediatric nurse practitioner, I came to recognize and value how much I still needed to learn at the bedside. I practiced as a registered nurse in the PICU, ambulatory surgery, and the pediatric emergency department before finding my professional home in pediatric critical care. Working as a transport nurse — where autonomy, adaptability, and critical thinking are essential — made it clear that I was ready to return to school. I completed my post-master’s training as an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, followed by my Doctor of Nursing Practice two years later.
Teaching was always part of the plan. A rare opportunity to teach in acute care pediatrics took me across the country into a new healthcare system and academic environment. In the classroom and clinical setting, I discovered a deep passion for helping students find confidence in critical care — reframing it not as something to fear, but as a space where thoughtful, curious clinicians can make a meaningful difference. As a PICU attending once told me, “The PICU is the most fun and rewarding place to work in the entire hospital. You just have to stick around long enough to get over the fear.”
Across my work, I have seen that healing — whether physical, emotional, or professional — does not happen in isolation. It happens in relationship. This belief has shaped my commitment to building spaces where clinicians, patients, and families feel supported, heard, and connected.
These experiences continue to guide how I practice, teach, and advocate, grounding my work in curiosity, humility, and a deep respect for both the science of medicine and the communities that sustain it.
My Background ⚓
My professional background spans clinical practice, education, and leadership, centered on caring for children and families navigating serious illness and preparing the next generation of pediatric nurse practitioners.
Before becoming a nurse practitioner, I worked in pediatric hospice and palliative care as a board-certified music therapist. That work taught me how to listen deeply, sit with uncertainty, and support families when the goal was comfort, meaning, and connection rather than cure — skills that remain foundational to my approach to medicine. It also reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and community in sustaining compassionate care.
I currently practice as an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in pediatric critical care and serve as a nursing educator, where I focus on helping learners develop clinical confidence, reflective practice, and a strong sense of professional identity. I am particularly passionate about fostering community among nurses and nurse practitioners — creating spaces where growth, mentorship, and honest conversations are possible.
Across all roles, my work is grounded in advocacy, curiosity, and a commitment to cultivating connected, resilient healthcare communities.
Education ⚓
- Doctor of Nursing Practice, Vanderbilt University
- Emphasis in Nursing Education & Leadership
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Certificate, Vanderbilt University
- Master of Nursing, DePaul University
- Master of Music Therapy, University of Iowa
- Bachelor of Arts in Music, St. Olaf College
Nursing Experience ⚓
Over 15 years of related nursing experience in pediatric emergency medicine and critical care
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Medical & Cardiac Critical Care
- Nursing Faculty in graduate nursing education
- Pediatric Registered Nurse:
- Critical Care Transport
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Critical Care
Let’s Connect
📷 Instagram: @clarityfornps 💼 LinkedIn: @etespinoza 📧 Email: hello@bridgepointNP.com
I'd love to hear from you! Please reach out to ask questions, let me know what resources would interest you, or just say hi 💙
Disclaimer
Content on this site is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clarity NP is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any academic institution or healthcare organization.