For Sandy Stinnett, a family nurse practitioner, medicine has always been about more than treating symptoms – it’s about hearing patients’ stories. After nearly 20 years of caring for patients in hospitals, homes and clinics, she’s learned that sometimes the best medicine is simply knowing someone is listening. Now, she’s bringing that same philosophy and care to Northeast Georgia Physicians Group (NGPG) Clayton Primary Care.
“I’ve loved every chapter of my nursing career, but the relationships I build with my patients are what keep me going,” Stinnett said. “I want people to leave their visit feeling seen, heard and cared for, because that’s exactly what they deserve.”
Stinnett’s nursing career began in 2005 in a small, rural hospital in Royston, Georgia, where she worked in nearly every area of the facility. In 2011, she moved into pediatric home health, where she cared for children with special needs for more than a decade.
“I still call those kids ‘my babies,’” Stinnett said. “They’ll always have a piece of my heart. Getting to be part of their world gave me a whole new perspective on patient care and what it really means to show up for people.”
After going on to work in other areas like outpatient dialysis, outpatient surgery and hospital nursing, Stinnett made the decision to become a family nurse practitioner to broaden the ways she could help others. She earned her master’s degree from South University in Savannah, Georgia – after already earning her bachelor’s degree there as well – and has been caring for patients of all ages at a primary care clinic in Demorest, Georgia, ever since.
A Maryland native, Stinnett moved to Georgia to raise her family and fell in love with the northeast Georgia communities she had often visited while growing up. She and her husband have five adult children and four grandchildren, and they spend their time traveling and hosting game nights. Stinnett also loves baking, reading and watching sunsets.
NGPG Clayton Primary Care is open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Fridays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is located at 30 Cottonwood Street. Call 770-219-9245 to schedule an appointment with Stinnett or visit www.ngpg.org/stinnett to learn more.
NGPG is an affiliate of Northeast Georgia Health System.