Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Redden.
Hi Leslie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I began my professional journey in accounting, where I worked for 11 years before transitioning into nursing. Despite coming from a family full of nurses, I had always doubted my ability to handle needles and wounds. Everything changed when my sister was diagnosed with a rare cancer that she ultimately lost her battle with. I decided it was time to pay forward the care that our family received during that time.
When the accounting firm I worked for began outsourcing roles and preparing for layoffs, I volunteered to be part of the reduction in force and enrolled in nursing school full time. As a single mother, I studied wherever I could: at my son’s practices, his games, and every spare moment in between.
I earned my Associate Degree in Nursing and began my career on a stroke unit, working night shifts while completing my Bachelor’s degree. I later transferred to the Neuro-ICU, completing a critical care residency, and gaining invaluable experience. After several years, I felt called to advance my training and pursued a Nurse Practitioner degree and began practicing in primary care pediatrics in early 2018.
Today, I serve as a Family Nurse Practitioner with a focus on pediatrics at Prism Health North Texas, and I am currently pursuing my Doctor of Nursing Practice, which I anticipate completing in December 2026.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, the road has not been easy. Balancing full-time school with single motherhood was incredibly challenging. Working night shifts while raising a child was difficult and returning to school again while juggling my kids’ activities and a full-time job added even more strain. The COVID era brought its own hardships as well; during that time, I worked in a COVID hub and cared exclusively for exposed or positive patients, which was especially tough on my family.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I currently provide primary care for pediatric patients at Prism Health North Texas’ South Dallas Health Center. I’m known for, and am most proud of, my unwavering advocacy for the children and families I serve. I prioritize listening to parents and caregivers and strongly believe in shared decision-making, which I feel truly sets me apart as a provider.
I am deeply committed to delivering high-quality care to the South Dallas community. My work is driven by a passion for helping close the existing care gap and advancing health equity and access for the pediatric population in this region.
Additionally, I am a member of the Texas Council for Feeding Matters, an organization dedicated to supporting families of children with feeding concerns. This is an area I am deeply passionate about, as my own family has been personally affected by a pediatric feeding disorder. I strongly believe in advocating for early identification, diagnosis, and treatment to ensure children receive the support they need as early as possible.
More than anything, I am most proud of my family. I have a wonderfully supportive husband; a wonderful, intelligent son in his second year of college; a beautiful and talented daughter in the fifth grade; and a kind, sweet stepson who is nine years old. They are my greatest joy and motivation.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I believe that persistence, especially in the face of adversity, is a major driver of success. I focus on taking one step at a time, breaking big goals into manageable pieces until they’re achieved. I also believe that my compassion, dedication to patient care, and commitment to advocating for families to the best of my ability are what keep patients returning to me.
For those seeking a new medical home for their families, I encourage you to learn more about Prism Health North Texas. The South Dallas Health Center where I serve our patients offers same and next day appointments for primary care and sick visits for all members of your family including children, and our on-site laboratory and pharmacy make one stop visits for high quality care possible. We can also see the whole family in the same visit, meaning parents don’t have to visit the clinic across multiple days to have all of their children seen by a provider. As an FQHC-LAL, we care for patients with private insurance, CHIP, Medicaid, Medicare, or no insurance at all on a sliding fee scale based on household income. Learn more or make an appointment by calling us at 214-521-5191 or at phntx.org.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.phntx.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prismhealthntx/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrismHealthNTX
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-redden-8914bb378/
Image Credits
Prism Health North Texas
