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Susan Vacca, Ph.D., CPNP, has over 25 years of experience as a certified pediatric nurse practitioner. Adolescent Medicine has been her clinical focus for the past 14 years. Dr. Vacca’s area of expertise includes adolescent gynecology, contraception (including intrauterine device and contraceptive implant insertion, removal, and care), eating disorders, medication treatment of depression/anxiety, and adolescent primary/preventative care.
Before coming to Boston Children’s Health Physicians, Dr. Vacca helped develop and implement an adolescent high-risk clinic in Northern Manhattan. She also worked at New York-Presbyterian School-Based Health Centers Program located in NYC public schools. Prior to this, her work focused on pediatric HIV disease.
Dr. Vacca has taught and mentored graduate students in both pediatric nurse practitioner programs and doctoral programs in nursing practice. She also served as the course coordinator of the pediatric nursing undergraduate program at New York University. Her area of research has focused on adolescent health care with specific attention to sexually transmitted infections.
Education
- Ph.D, Nursing Education, Villanova University
- M.S.N., Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program, Seton Hall University
- B.S.N., Niagara University
Publications
- Maier MC, Gold MA, Vacca SH, et. al. "Mixed-methods Exploration of Telehealth-supported Long-acting Reversible Contraceptive Services in School-based Health Centers: How Much Added Value?" Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners, 37(6), (2023) 599-608. doi: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2023.05.004
- Fischer AM, Holmes P, Bahar YZ, et. al. "Aroma Acupoint Therapy for Symptom Management with Adolescent Patients: Early Experiences from School-Based Health Centers." Medical acupuncture, 32(5), (2020) 287-292. doi: 10.1089/acu.2020.1447
- Carney R, Vacca SH, Brown J, et. al. "Translating Screening into Action: Risk Assessment and Intervention for Bullying in Pediatric Settings." Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners, 34(6), (2020) 568-574. doi: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.06.011
- Vacca SH, Salsgiver EL, Gold MA, et. al. "Patient-Delivered Expedited Partner Therapy for Chlamydia trachomatis Infection Among Female Adolescents Using School-Based Health Centers." Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners, 33(3), (2019) e18-e24. doi: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2018.11.008
Memberships and Affiliations
- National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
- North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
