Joann Blackwood Joins Gastroenterology Associates of Catawba Valley
Joann joined Gastroenterology Associates of Catawba Valley as a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner in August 2026. She brings more than 30 years of nursing and healthcare leadership experience in acute care, outpatient surgery, and specialty practice settings to the practice.
Prior to joining Gastroenterology Associates of Catawba Valley, Joann served as the Endoscopy Nurse Manager at Catawba Valley Medical Center, where she managed patient care, collaborated with multidisciplinary medical care teams to enhance patient outcomes, ensured regulatory compliance, and implemented quality improvement initiatives.
Joann began her nursing career as a registered nurse at Frye Regional Medical Center. She later served as a supervising nurse at Hickory Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Center and Lead Clinical Coordinator for outpatient surgery at Frye Regional Medical Center.
Joann earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from Appalachian State University. She received her Master of Science in Nursing degree as Family Nurse Practitioner from Carson- Newman University.
Joann is a Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse (CGRN) and a Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR).
She is board-certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) and is licensed to practice in the state of North Carolina. She also holds certifications in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
She is a member of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Joann is on the medical staff of Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory.
