Phyllis B. Whitehead, CNS, PhD
Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care
VTC Faculty
Carilion Clinic
"We have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patients, their families and ourselves. They may not remember your name but they will never forget the way you made them feel. — Maya Angelou "
Locations
Background
Specialties or Medical Focus
- Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care
NPI
- 1124451679
Services
Treatments Offered
- Advance Care Planning
- Complex Pain and Symptom Management
- Non-Pharmacological Symptom Management
Biography
Dr. Phyllis Whitehead is a clinical ethicist and clinical nurse specialist with the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (CRMH) Palliative Care Service and Associate Professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. She is a graduate of Radford University where she earned her BSN and MSN and earned her doctorate degree at Virginia Tech. Dr. Whitehead initiated the Palliative Medicine and Moral Distress Consult Services at CRMH. She is certified in pain management and as an advanced practice hospice and palliative care nurse.
Dr. Whitehead has done numerous presentations on pain and symptom management, opioid-induced sedation, moral distress, and patients’ end-of-life preferences locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Her research interests include moral distress and improving communication with seriously ill patients and has been funded for numerous grants for her research.
She was a Board of Directors member of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (2019 - 2024), President of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (2022 - 2023) and President of the Virginia Foundation of Nurses. She was a member of the ANA Moral Resilience Advisory Committee. She is a founding member and Board of Directors member of the Virginia Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. She was selected for Governor Ralph Northam’s Policy Council on Opioid and Substance Abuse.
In 2020 she was elected as a Distinguished Practitioner Fellow in the National Academy of Practice in Nursing. In 2021 she was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing as a Fellow. In 2023 she was inducted into the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute as a Fellow.
Dr. Whitehead has done numerous presentations on pain and symptom management, opioid-induced sedation, moral distress, and patients’ end-of-life preferences locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Her research interests include moral distress and improving communication with seriously ill patients and has been funded for numerous grants for her research.
She was a Board of Directors member of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (2019 - 2024), President of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (2022 - 2023) and President of the Virginia Foundation of Nurses. She was a member of the ANA Moral Resilience Advisory Committee. She is a founding member and Board of Directors member of the Virginia Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. She was selected for Governor Ralph Northam’s Policy Council on Opioid and Substance Abuse.
In 2020 she was elected as a Distinguished Practitioner Fellow in the National Academy of Practice in Nursing. In 2021 she was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing as a Fellow. In 2023 she was inducted into the Clinical Nurse Specialist Institute as a Fellow.
Specialties
Accepted Insurance
Carilion Clinic contracts with most major health insurance carriers. This list is updated periodically and is subject to change without notice. Please contact your insurance company or health benefits manager to better understand how your policy works and any financial liability that you may have, prior to receiving care.
