This story is part of our UCSF People series, highlighting the many dedicated individuals across the UCSF community who advance health worldwide through research, education, and clinical care in their everyday work.
Jim Gatewood, PhD, AGPCNP, RN, was destined to be a nurse.
His mother was a nurse in Britain’s Royal Air Force and later a health care administrator for 40 years. His aunt was a nurse at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in Exeter, England. Gatewood’s grandmother was also a nurse who worked and trained at Guy’s Hospital in London. And, as if that weren’t enough, his great grandmother served as a nurse during World War I.
“I entered into the family business,” Gatewood said.
But it wasn’t exactly a straight line into nursing.
The assistant professor in Community Health Systems initially had a very different career path, first pursuing a career as a historian of modern U.S. intellectual immigration and Asian American history. In a twist of fate following the end of a teaching contract, Gatewood went to work for his mother at an assisted living facility in Southern California. That’s where he fell in love with health care.
So, Gatewood went back to school in his 40s.
“I must have been the oldest person there by 20 years,” Gatewood said.
After completing his prerequisites at a local community college, Gatewood graduated in 2019 from the UCSF School of Nursing’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) specialty. He’s now that specialty’s faculty coordinator at UCSF and practices at SteppingStone, where he cares for patients and oversees rotations for UCSF’s advanced practice nursing students – combining in-person learning with clinical experience.
“The connection between UCSF and the community is critical,” he said. “We're doing great work to keep people healthy and tackle these challenging issues head on.”
Tag along as we follow Gatewood through a day in his life.
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Today is the first day of clinicals.
But first, caffeine.
Gatewood’s day starts with a breakfast burrito and coffee.
He’s flanked by his wife and colleague, Patricia (Patty) Gatewood, RN, who’s the program director at Mission Creek Day Health in San Francisco.
Together, they serve the community’s growing needs by addressing social drivers of health and influencing long-term outcomes for older adults and persons with disabilities at the SteppingStone location on Fourth Street.
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Our AGPCNP students rock!
Gatewood greets students in the first cohort of the School of Nursing’s BSN to DNP pathway, where students earn their doctorate and become advanced practitioners in a nursing specialty.
“Translating what you’re learning in the classroom to clinical, it’s so important,” Gatewood said of the SteppingStone rotations. “We can’t get enough of those opportunities. Clinical experiences are so key for students.”
Alongside Briauna (Bri) Taylor, DNP, BSN, NP, Gatewood will work with and train with Abi Butt, RN, Damon Thomas, RN, Jaclyn Leonard, RN, Tiffany Wang, RN, Eryka Bactad, RN, and Nancy Oros Tinoco, RN.
Today, they’ll be practicing how to take a history and physical exam.
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Solomon has the best smile.
The craft of nursing starts here – one-on-one with patients like Solomon Bukenya.
Learning on the job – particularly in community settings like this one – is an essential part of building foundational skills for UCSF learners and maintaining those skills for seasoned nurses like Gatewood.
Patients like Bukenya “are the best possible teachers for our students,” he said.
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I am inspired by our participants.
Gatewood catches up with Taylor, also an assistant professor in Community Health Systems, as patients get their work in.
“Community-based health care allows us to meet people where they’re at,” Gatewood said. “You're getting to know some of the challenges they face day-to-day. UCSF has been so good about thinking of ways to support people in these environments.”
First, Lucille Smith tries a mounted pull machine.
Later, Cara Warmsley takes a new walker for a spin.
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Students like Damon are an absolute joy to work with.
Gatewood and Thomas make their way through a sunny China Basin to grab food for the team. “I learn just as much, perhaps more, from my students as they learn from me,” Gatewood said.
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She's my best friend
For Gatewood, no day is complete without a midday stroll along Mission Creek.
“Patty and I always try to go for a walk after lunch,” he said.
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hen Bri talks, everyone listens!
Gatewood and Taylor lead a three-hour course after lunch – with Butt, Leonard and Tinoco listening intently. “Our job as faculty is to help them build a very strong foundation of skills,” Gatewood said.
Gatewood calls Taylor “wicked smart, funny and a skilled clinician,” one of many “amazing” colleagues he works with across the School of Nursing.
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Another day in the books!
With that, the first day of clinicals comes to an end.
Gatewood shares a warm embrace with Taylor before leaving hand-in-hand with his wife, Patricia.
The School of Nursing’s BSN to DNP pathway is equipped with a focus on advanced nursing, preparing nurses with the expanded skills, judgment and confidence to develop innovative solutions to the most complex health issues and transform care for our diverse communities.
The 12-quarter, hybrid program takes place at sites throughout the Bay Area, including UCSF Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and smaller facilities like SteppingStone.
Students can choose from multiple specialties to excel in an advanced nursing role.