Susanna Frusti, APRN, FNP-C
Susanna Frusti, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner with over 14 years of experience across diverse healthcare settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bethel University in Mishawaka, Indiana, and her Master of Science in Nursing/FNP from Illinois State University, where she is currently completing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Susanna is deeply committed to patient-centered care, emphasizing holistic, integrative, and preventative approaches that address the whole person, not just symptoms.
Her clinical experience spans emergency care, home health, wound care, and school nursing, supporting children, adolescents, and families. She has also worked extensively in community health and global health initiatives, providing education and mentoring for undergraduate nursing students, and helping future healthcare professionals develop both technical skills and compassionate care practices.
Susanna has a strong passion for international healthcare and served four years in the Dominican Republic, providing direct care at a care center and managing chronic illnesses in a rural village. She focused on health prevention, family involvement, and supplemental nutrition programs for underweight children while mentoring local healthcare providers to strengthen community health outcomes. These experiences reinforced her commitment to equitable access to quality healthcare and culturally competent care.
Most recently, she served as a school nurse at Sunny Hill Elementary School in Carpentersville, Illinois, where she provided first aid, illness treatment, and emergency care to students, collaborated with families to support student health, and contributed to Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 plan development for students with disabilities. She also ensured infection control and regulatory compliance, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to optimize student health outcomes.
Currently, Susanna is part of OSF’s competitive fellowship program in the Bloomington-Normal area, providing clinical care while participating in advanced simulation training and specialist consultations at OSF’s Jump Center. Her experiences as a patient with chronic health conditions have shaped her approach to medicine, and she remains dedicated to empowering patients, providing comprehensive, compassionate care, and addressing the broader social and lifestyle factors that influence health.
• DNP (Doctorate of Nursing Practice) – Illinois State University (In Progress)
• MSN/FNP – Illinois State University
• BSN – Bethel University, Mishawaka, Indiana
• APRN, Family Nurse Practitioner-Certified (FNP-C)
• CIC (Certified Infection Control)
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology)
• SGNA (Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates)
• Healthcare provider and educator in the Dominican Republic (Kids Alive International)
• Mentorship and training for nursing students and healthcare staff in underserved communities
Areas of Specialization/Expertise
- Primary care
- Women's health
- Pediatrics
- Holistic care
- Integrative medicine
- Preventative care
- Pediatric and adolescent health
- School health and public health nursing
- Chronic disease management
What do you enjoy most about practicing medicine?
What I enjoy most about practicing medicine is the relational component with patients. I value the one-on-one connections I am able to form, and those relationships are something I could never give up. Being a social and relational person, I have always wanted to work closely with people. My own experiences as a patient with chronic health conditions have profoundly shaped how I provide care. Experiencing healthcare from the patient perspective has strengthened my empathy and compassion, and it influences the way I partner with patients. I focus on collaboration, empowering those I work with rather than simply directing them. Understanding the full picture of a patient’s well-being—including social determinants of health—is essential to me, as it allows me to provide thoughtful, individualized care. I also enjoy the procedural aspects of my work, as long as the patient’s safety and comfort are prioritized.