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Our Nurse Practitioners

Michael Vicioso

Mike is a board-certified pediatric holistic nurse practitioner who completed his training at California State University, Long Beach.

Mike believes that caring for a patient involves more than curing disease. Instead, he believes that wellness encompasses the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. With children, in particular, caring includes incorporating the family and the child’s environment.

GHT Kids Office

Mike started his career as a pediatric nurse at the Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles (CHLA), where he worked as a Pediatric Neurology nurse, researcher, and clinic nurse. There, he helped establish the protocols for Diastat, a pediatric epilepsy medicine.

After helping set up the Pediatric Seizure Clinic at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, he went back to CHLA. He worked for eight years in their Pediatric Emergency Department as a trauma nurse and charge nurse.

Mike has vast experience caring for children who presented to the ER with various types of illness and injuries. From the most severe traumas, automobile accidents, gunshots, and bicycle accidents, to prevalent illnesses like asthma, ear infections, colds, and flues.

From CHLA, Mike moved on to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange, CA, in a new role as Pediatric Emergency Department Nurse Manager. At St. Joseph’s, Mike was overseeing the entire pediatric population. Children’s Hospital of Orange County contracted with St. Joseph’s Hospital to provide emergency services to all children who presented there. During his time at St. Joseph’s, Mike facilitated the care and admission of ill and injured patients and was heavily involved in the State and National Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). During his time with ENA, Mike participated in establishing a pediatric certification exam committee for pediatric emergency nurses. As a result, pediatric emergency nursing is now recognized nationally as a specialty care service.

While working with ENA, Mike continued his training by attending California State University, Long Beach, to achieve his pediatric nurse practitioner certificate. Mike graduated in 2012 and is now a practicing certified pediatric nurse practitioner. Mike sought out experiences with pediatricians who specialized in alternative and complementary medicine (CAM) during his training. As a result, Mike is uniquely trained in traditional pediatrics, CAM, and the holistic philosophies of pediatric nursing. Mike’s training, experience, and expertise allow him to work with patients and families to bridge traditional and naturopathic care services in his practice.

Nurse Mike

Mike was born and raised in Southern California. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in healthcare with children. Mike’s medical interests include access to care, alternative and complementary medicine, and encouraging developmental growth.

Mike enjoys travel, exploring how other cultures and indigenous people raise and care for their kids, and incorporating these ideas in his practice and how he cares for patients. He is married to a very supportive pediatric nurse practitioner and has four children.

Nancy Taschner

Nancy is a board-certified family nurse practitioner in Long Beach.

After starting her nursing career in 1991 with an RN from Long Beach City College, Nancy worked for ten years at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles (CHLA) as a pediatric intensive care nurse.

Nancy has experience as an emergency room nurse at both CHLA and Long Beach Memorial Hospital and registry experience at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, Saint Joseph Hospital of Orange, St. Mary Medical Center, Cedars Sinai Hospital, and Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

After traveling between hospitals for over a year, Nancy found a place in the pediatric intensive care unit at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and has been there for the past 11 years. At Miller, Nancy also worked on the pediatric intensive care transport team, caring for critically ill infants, children, and teens during transport.

Nancy’s two sons were diagnosed with autism at ages two and three, and this new challenge inspired her to continue her education and become a nurse practitioner. Nancy continued her training and earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2012 and recently graduated with her family nurse practitioner certificate from Cal State Long Beach, with over 600 hours in family medicine, obstetrics, and gynecology (OB/GYN), and pediatrics. She currently works at GHT as a family nurse practitioner.

Nancy is incredibly proud that her two teenage sons have progressed spectacularly with behavior therapy and nutrition and now attend regular education without services.

Nancy grew up in Long Beach and is raising her family in the house where she was raised. She enjoys spending time with her husband, two boys, and her dogs, including a Great Dane that requires a little too much attention!

Dr. Nikki Knight

Dr. Nikki, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner in Long Beach.

Dr. Nikki started her nursing career at age 15 by training to become a CNA (certified nursing assistant). She worked for two years in a veteran home and then became a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at Idaho State University. Dr. Nikki earned her associate’s degree in nursing from Southern Idaho and her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN) and Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Brandman University in Irvine.

Dr. Nikki Knight
She has worked at Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills for the past 13 years in the orthopedic unit, the stroke and neuro unit (NIH stroke certified), and telemetry. Dr. Nikki was also part of the research council and worked to get essential oils on the units for in-patients and nurses. She has also worked as a preoperative and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse at a local surgery center. Dr. Nikki is also currently an adjunct professor at Brandman University, where she teaches in both the DNP and BSN programs. There, she serves as a chair for doctoral students working on their dissertations.

As a holistic nurse practitioner, Dr. Nikki has always found a way to marry Eastern and Western medicine in her practice as she believes they are both essential parts of the whole healthcare picture. Dr. Nikki used essential oils in her practice and was fortunate enough to work with medical providers that use essential oils in every part of their practice. She practically observed how beneficial they could be for various conditions and concerns. Dr. Nikki wrote her dissertation on the effects of select essential oils on perioperative anxiety, with excellent results!

Dr. Nikki loves spending time with her family. She loves to travel and dance, and she teaches Stroller Barre (stroller workout for moms) in San Clemente. Dr. Nikki is passionate about spreading the good word about health and essential oils. She lives in San Clemente with her husband, two kids, and a pup.

AunaLee Means

AunaLee is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner in Long Beach.

She started her nursing career as a licensed vocational nurse. AunaLee received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University Long Beach and her Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in pediatrics.

She participated in the Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) program at CHLA, where she had the opportunity to work on an interdisciplinary team to offer age-specific care to adolescent patients in the community. AunaLee has experience working bedside in the Pediatric ICU, which she continues to do part-time.

AunaLee Means, holistic nurse practitioner - pediatrics

AunaLee loves to watch children grow healthy and strong and have their medical visits be a fun experience. With experience working bedside in the Pediatric ICU, she strives to focus on preventative care, safety, and patient education in the outpatient setting. With each visit, she aims to cover patients' needs, ensuring they feel heard and confident leaving each visit.

AunaLee was born and raised in southern California and loves spending time in the sun and at the beach. In early 2022 she welcomed her baby, becoming a new mom for the first time! She enjoys making memories and starting traditions with her family.

New Patient Appointments

A $50 non-refundable deposit is required for new patients to confirm and hold their appointment at the time of scheduling. The deposit is applied to the cost of the visit or applied to a future visit. If you cancel your appointment at least 24 hours before, we will use the deposit for a future appointment. If you miss the appointment, you will lose your deposit.

Finally, California requires that nurse practitioners practice under a supervising physician. At Growing Healthy Together, our supervising physician is Dr. Katherine Carias, MD.

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