Yamira Marie Baez, APRN

Ms. Yamira Baez is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Ms. Baez has extensive psychiatric experience in outpatient, inpatient, and long-term care settings. Prior to entering the psychiatric field, she served as an administrative manager for nursing at LRH and worked as a nurse in emergency rooms and trauma units at LRH and other facilities in Central Florida.

Ms. Baez earned her Master of Science in Nursing/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Walden University, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Polk State College, and holds an additional bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida. She sees patients at the Grasslands campus.



How long have you worked in your field?
About 1 year as a psychiatric nurse practitioner but I have worked in behavioral health for about 15 years.

Describe your clinical specialties.
I did most of my residency in an outpatient setting, caring for …patients with depression, anxiety, bipolar, and ADHD. Since then, I have worked as provider at an inpatient stabilization unit, caring for acute psychotic and depressed patients. I have also been working as a psychiatric consultant at long term care facilities such as SNF and ALFs.

What is your patient care philosophy?
Everyone has their individual story, which has molded them to who they are. My job is to listen to their story and assist with their individual needs. I take a holistic mind, body, spirit approach, with the goal of helping my patients live their lives to their fullest potential.

What would you like people to know about you as a physician?
That I truly care. I have a lifelong passion to listening to people’s stories and helping in any and every way that I can.

What do you enjoy most about working with patients?
I enjoy helping and caring for the people. It has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.

When did you know you wanted to be a provider?
I knew I wanted to care for people during my early high school years. I had the opportunity to start the Polk Collegiate High School, which provided me with the opportunity to start as a health care intern with Lakeland Regional Behavioral Health. I LOVED it and knew it was the career for me. Once I worked as a nurse, I wanted to do more. I was fortunate to work with physicians throughout the years that saw my potential as a provider, and encouraged and supported me to continue.

How does your work improve lives?
Managing mental health disorders helps people live to the their fullest potential.

What are some interesting facts about you?
I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology prior to my nursing career. I worked as an ER trauma nurse for 12 years (as an RN), during most of which I was a supervisor. After having my daughter, I decided to further my education and pursue my career long dream of being a provider.

Would you like to share about your family?
I am a single mother of an intelligent, outgoing, and vibrant 6-year-old little girl named Ariyah. We also have a dog and a cat.

What else would you like to share with our readers?
I am excited for the blessing and opportunity to continue working with Lakeland Regional.