Harris Regional Hospital welcomes nurse practitioner Amy Sims back to Sylva, cancer care team

Harris Regional Hospital is pleased to welcome back Amy Sims, APRN, C-NP, MSN, BSN, RN, FNP-C, ACNPC-AG, CWCN-AP, to its medical staff. Sims will see patients at Harris Regional Cancer Center in Sylva beginning September 1, joining radiation oncologist Jarred Tanksley, MD, PhD, in caring for patients receiving radiation oncology services. 

Sims brings more than 20 years of experience as a nurse practitioner, with a clinical background spanning general surgery, family medicine, urgent care, emergency medicine, and orthopedics, as well as nine years of experience as a registered nurse. 

Sims’ connection to Harris Regional Hospital spans much of her life. Born and raised in Sylva, she was born at then-named C.J. Harris Community Hospital and later volunteered there as a candy striper and junior volunteer. She began her nursing career at Harris as an RN and spent over a decade caring for patients at Harris, including adult and pediatric medical-surgical patients as well as mothers and infants. She went on to work as a nurse practitioner in general surgery with Mountain Surgical in Sylva from 2004-2015. After several years practicing in Oklahoma and Alaska, Sims is pleased to return to western North Carolina and continue caring for patients in the community where her own connection to healthcare began. 

“We are very pleased to welcome Amy back to Harris Regional Hospital and to our cancer care team,” said Ashley Hindman, chief executive officer of Harris Regional Hospital. “She brings an exceptional breadth of clinical experience, a strong commitment to patient advocacy, and an existing connection to our hospital and community. Her addition to Harris Regional Cancer Center further strengthens our ability to provide high-quality radiation oncology care close to home.” 

Sims earned her Master of Science in Nursing as a family nurse practitioner from Western Carolina University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Science in Health and Sports Science from Wake Forest University. She later completed an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program at the University of Pennsylvania and advanced wound care training through Emory University. 

Sims is certified as both a family nurse practitioner and an adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner and is also a certified wound care nurse in advanced practice. Throughout her career, she has worked in a variety of settings and roles requiring diagnosis, treatment, patient education, and coordination of specialty care. Outside of work, Sims enjoys quilting, knitting, crocheting, spending time with family, and hiking with her husband and dogs. 

At Harris Regional Cancer Center, Sims joins Jarred Tanksley, MD, PhD, and the radiation oncology team in caring for patients from across the region. Dr. Tanksley is board-certified in radiation oncology and completed his residency at Duke University Medical Center, where he served as chief resident. The center provides advanced radiation oncology care and works closely with medical oncologists, surgeons, and other cancer care providers to develop individualized treatment plans that may include radiation therapy alone or in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other therapies. 

Advanced treatment options include stereotactic body radiation therapy, or SBRT, for appropriate patients. SBRT delivers precisely targeted doses of radiation and can allow some patients to complete treatment in fewer sessions than with conventional radiation therapy. 

Harris Regional Cancer Center is located at 14 Medical Park Loop in Sylva. Patients interested in learning more about radiation oncology services or making an appointment may call 828-586-7610 or speak with their primary care physician or medical oncologist about a referral.