Ashley Brazzell, APRN, AGPCNP-BC

Meet Ashley Brazzell, APRN, AGPCNP-BC

Bringing decades of perioperative expertise and adult-gerontology expertise to cardiovascular surgery care in Alexandria, Louisiana

Ashley Brazzell, AGPCNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner who brings nearly two decades of experience in perioperative nursing, surgical first assisting and clinical education to patients across Central Louisiana. She completed her graduate nursing education at Herzing University and is joining CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic – Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery in Alexandria after a long career supporting surgical teams, educating nurses and maintaining operating room quality standards at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital and Rapides Regional Medical Center. Her deep roots in Central Louisiana and extensive experience caring for surgical patients give her a unique perspective that bridges acute surgical care, long-term health management, and patient education.

Career at a Glance

• More than 20 years of healthcare experience spanning long-term care, perioperative services, surgical assisting and nursing education.
• Served as a Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) and Operating Room Educator at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital.
• Former RNFA and Nurse Educator at Rapides Regional Medical Center, helping train and develop perioperative nurses.
• Board-certified Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC) with certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
• Holds advanced credentials including Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR), Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS).

Clinical Role and Leadership

Ashley Brazzell serves within CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic’s Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery program in Alexandria, Louisiana, where she supports patients throughout their cardiovascular care journey. Her background as a surgical first assistant and clinical educator gives her a strong understanding of complex surgical procedures, perioperative preparation and recovery. Throughout her career, she has helped maintain operating room quality standards, educated new nursing professionals and supported multidisciplinary teams dedicated to delivering high-quality cardiovascular care.

She provides specialized care for conditions such as:

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmias and heart rhythm disorders
• Valvular heart disease
• Peripheral artery disease
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Cholesterol and cardiovascular risk management

What You Can Expect from Care with Ashley Brazzell

Ashley’s professional background reflects a commitment to compassionate, collaborative and patient-focused care. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with patients, surgeons, nurses and healthcare teams to ensure safe, high-quality outcomes. Her experience educating medical students, new nurses and international clinicians demonstrates her belief that communication and understanding are essential components of excellent healthcare.

You can expect:

• Individualized attention and compassionate support throughout your care journey.
• Clear education about your condition, treatment plan and recovery expectations.
• Collaboration with cardiovascular surgeons, specialists and care teams.
• A strong focus on quality, safety and evidence-based clinical practices.
• Guidance that empowers patients and families to participate actively in their care.

Advanced Surgical Innovation / Diagnostic Care

Ashley built her clinical foundation in the operating room, where she served as a Registered Nurse First Assistant and Operating Room Educator responsible for maintaining AORN standards and perioperative quality measures. Her experience includes surgical assisting, aseptic technique training, perioperative nursing development and operating room quality oversight. She is part of a cardiovascular and thoracic surgery program connected to CHRISTUS Heart & Vascular services, where multidisciplinary teams provide advanced cardiovascular evaluation, treatment and surgical support for patients across Central Louisiana.

Commitment to Public Health and Health Equity

Ashley's commitment to service extends beyond the clinical setting into the Central Louisiana community. She serves in leadership with Ignite Success Non-Profit and is involved with the Pineville Rotary Club, Professional Women’s Network and the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Red Coat program. Through these organizations, she supports professional development, civic engagement and community-focused initiatives that strengthen the region she calls home.