Rigoberto Picazo
Instructor DNP, FNP-C, PHNPrograms and Courses Taught
N619 Advanced Pathophysiology
N670 Family Centered Advanced Practice Nursing
N676 and N776 Care of Chronic and Complex Conditions
N675 and N775 and Labs for Care of Acute & Episodic Conditions
About Me
I am truly honored to serve as a California based Nurse Practitioner and especially privileged to work in the teaching profession as an Instructor in the Family Nurse Practitioner program. Before entering healthcare, I spent nearly a decade with a Fortune 500 manufacturing company in consulting and education roles across the twelve western states. During the final semester of my FNP program, I was offered a Teaching Assistant position—an experience that ignited my passion for education and ultimately led me to pursue academic teaching.
Clinically, I have served as a Nurse Practitioner across multiple care settings, including primary care within underprivileged communities, mobile health delivery models, and a specialized Heart and Vascular clinic, where I managed patients presenting with a broad spectrum of cardiovascular conditions. I deeply value patient-centered care and strive to empower individuals through education, encouraging active participation in their health to improve their quality of life.
Education
Samuel Merritt University, Doctor of Nursing Practice
Samuel Merritt University, Master's of Science in Nursing, FNP
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bachelors of Science, International Business
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests span a diverse range of advanced clinical topics essential to primary and specialty care. I am particularly engaged in the instruction of lipid disorders, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes management, mental health conditions, and musculoskeletal disorders, with an emphasis on evidence‑based assessment and therapeutic decision‑making. I am also deeply committed to the use of simulation‑based education to enhance clinical reasoning, diagnostic accuracy, and interprofessional communication. In addition, I prioritize the integration of technology and emerging AI tools into the curriculum to support innovative learning strategies, improve clinical preparedness, and strengthen students’ ability to navigate contemporary healthcare environments.
Scholarly Interests
My scholarly interests focus on Nurse Practitioner education and improving clinical training outcomes. I am particularly engaged in curriculum enhancement strategies aimed at strengthening clinical reasoning, fostering learner engagement, and aligning educational content with evolving healthcare demands. A central component of my work includes examining NP student confidence, with an emphasis on identifying educational approaches that enhance self‑efficacy and preparedness fora clinical ready practitioner. I also hold a strong interest in the development and evaluation of virtual healthcare simulations as innovative tools for skill acquisition, experiential learning, and assessment of clinical competency. Additionally, I am committed to improving awareness and early recognition of peripheral arterial disease, with the broader goal of reducing disparities and improving cardiovascular outcomes through education and evidence‑based practice.
Acknowledgments in Published Work for Piloting (AI-VSP): De Mattei, L., Morato, M. Q., Sidhu, V., Gautam, N., Mendonca, C. T., Tsai, A., Hammer, M., Creighton-Wong, L., & Azzam, A. (2024). Are artificial intelligence virtual simulated patients (AI-VSP) a valid teaching modality for health professional students? Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2024.101536
Publications
Presenter. Samuel Merritt University’s Spring Scholarship Symposium 5/2021. Virtually Ready: Understanding Pre-Clinical FNP Students’ perceptions about utilizing virtual standardized patients in a desktop format using a PCS Spark Avatar
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
Sigma Theta Tau
Epic Champion role
Abridge Champion role
Community Service
actively contribute to institutional governance through service on the Policy Committee, where I participate in the review, development, and refinement of academic and operational policies that guide program standards and support regulatory compliance.
-Assisting with OSCE development, check‑offs
-Clinical representative supporting effective use of the Epic EHR, assisting colleagues with workflow optimization, documentation efficiency, and adoption of best practices
-Serve on a committee dedicated to the integration of ambient clinical documentation technologies within clinical practice. In this role, I collaborate with clinical leaders, informatics specialists, to evaluate implementation strategies, optimize provider workflows, and support the adoption of AI‑enabled documentation tools that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and patient engagement.
Honors & Awards
Outstanding Student Cohort Award for Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2021
Outstanding Student Award for FNP cohort in 2016