A March Note From Nidhi

​In addition to my tremendous mentors at RHJN, Dr. Jo’Ann Jackson and Dr. Heather Johnson, I am honored to be a part of a COVID-19 pandemic task force team of dedicated providers and staff…
As part of the Nested family, you probably only think of me as Nested’s founder and as a certified Physician’s Assistant at one of the DC metro area’s largest OB GYN practices, Reiter, Hill, Johnson & Nevin. What you may not know is that before I earned my Master of Medical Science with an emphasis on underserved populations at Emory University’s School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, I received a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Management from Emory University.
While I would like to tell you that my passion for public health was all of my own fruition, I must admit that my wonderful parents definitely influenced me…Now for an early Mother’s Day present for my incredible mom, Nirmala Shah, I’m going to proudly brag about her!…She spent 30 years as a brilliant microbiologist for the State of Michigan and collaborated with FEMA. She was part of the team that developed vaccines for Anthrax, Tetanus and Pertussis as well as conducted laboratory tests for Rabies, SARS (the last coronavirus), H1N1 and West Nile and Zika viruses. My mom recently retired and is enjoying spending her time volunteering in her community, including assisting with elementary school science projects, teaching painting and other artistic classes to children and the elderly, helping at her local temple, and, of course, being a wonderful grandmother.
Though I was too young to understand the significance, my mother was awarded the Commander’s Award for Public Service by the Department of the Army for her contribution in the production of essential vaccines for the troops during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1991. And, while her awards are immensely impressive, I most loved wearing her hazmat suits in our home, which resulted in my sister and I having THE BEST Ghostbusters Halloween costumes! She also preached to us, regularly, on the importance of standard protocols, prevention and the need for a plan when dealing with communicable diseases. Let’s just say, I was extremely popular at school 😉

Despite it being more than a decade and a half since I earned my MPH, my knowledge from graduate school has come rushing back to me. That knowledge combined with decades of my mother’s expertise & insights being engraved on my brain is finally being put to good use to help my patients and colleagues at RHJN as well as to you, the Nested family, during this COVID-19 pandemic. 

In addition to my tremendous mentors at RHJN, Dr. Jo’Ann Jackson and Dr. Heather Johnson, I am honored to be a part of a COVID19 pandemic task force team of dedicated providers and staff.

I know that you, your family, friends, colleagues and neighbors have concerns, fears and questions. We are all receiving daily emails from our providers, community groups and institutions as well as from businesses where we shop. While some of us face a crisis head-on, others prefer to burrow under the covers. It is important to stay informed during this pandemic and stay vigilant about protecting your health. Please visit only reputable websites as you seek guidance and information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Nested is here for you during your pregnancy journey, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic! We have added to the Nested homepage some helpful links as you seek information & guidance about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, you should check with your provider to see if they are encouraging patients, especially ALL of their pregnant patients, to purchase a blood pressure cuff. Some HSA/FSA plans allow purchases for: blood pressure cuffs and other medical devices/equipment, supplements (prenatal, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, etc.) and other pregnant & health-related items.

While all of your questions are important, Nested wants to emphasize to please be sure to contact your providers’ office directly for specific information and guidance regarding your medical care. Every provider’s offices operate differently, and their plans and procedures are constantly changing to address the ever-evolving pandemic issues.

During this very scary, stressful, difficult COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, I hope that you are being kind to and taking care of yourself and others!  Well, it feels like I should go wash my hands again. Now you go and do the same! ☺

Nidhi & the Nested Team 

Nidhi Reva | Founder & Managing Director and Instructor

Nidhi Reva’s passion for working with underserved populations inspired Nested’s mission of empowerment through education. Nested LLC’s mission is to empower women and their families, both locally and abroad, by providing them with childbirth and newborn care education as well as invaluable medical and public health resources.