Nadia Hernandez, MD, FASA

Nadia Hernandez, MD

Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine Service Chief
Regional Anesthesia, Acute Pain Medicine & Perioperative Ultrasound Fellowship Chair
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 713-500-6200

Teaching Philosophy

The Privilege of Shaping Minds in Medicine.

Being an educator in the medical field is not merely a responsibility—it’s a privilege. To be intricately involved in the journey of budding physicians is an honor that I cherish deeply. Their eager and intuitive minds continually challenge and inspire me. Their questions, their insights, and their dedication to the practice of medicine pushed me to not only become a better physician but also a better mentor. Indeed, when one is deeply passionate about their work, it ceases to feel like a job. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to grow, to inspire, and to be inspired.

Beyond Knowledge: Igniting the Flame of Passion.

Teaching medicine goes beyond transferring knowledge. It’s about sharing one’s heart, one’s passion, and one’s dedication to the field. As educators, we have the unique role of guiding our trainees towards areas of medicine that resonate with their souls—areas where they can truly make a difference. When they find that particular niche that ignites a fire within them, the real magic happens. They don’t just become physicians; they become champions of their fields, driven by a desire to bring about real change. And in doing so, they are not just serving their profession; they are serving humanity.

Humanism in Medicine: Our True Calling.

In an era dominated by technology and rapid advancements, it’s easy to lose sight of the core of medicine: humanism. To be a physician is to serve, to connect, and to empathize. Our role as educators is to consistently remind our trainees of this sacred duty. It’s about grounding ourselves and our students in the commitment to our patients. This means understanding their stories, their pains, and their hopes. I am fortunate to have been led by my instincts into academic medicine, and i am constantly reminded of the gravity and grace of this decision. Every day, I get the chance to shape the future of medicine and to reinforce the values that make our profession so profoundly important.

Past and Current Educational Activities

Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship Chair
Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine
Director of Perioperative Ultrasound Education
Medical Student Anesthesia Clinical Research Elective Course Director

Areas of Expertise

Acute Pain Management
Diagnostic Point-of-Care Ultrasound
Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia
Ultrasound Guided Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis
Geriatric Orthopedic Anesthesiology
Clinical Research

Selected Publications:

  1. Hernandez N, Sen S, de Haan JB, Haskins S, Pawa A. The Novel Use of Biplane Imaging for Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2021 Jul 15. 2021 Jul doi: 10.4097/kja.21290. PMID: 34265201.
  2. Haskins SC, Bronshteyn Y, Perlas A, El-Boghdadly K, Zimmerman J, Silva M, Boretsky K, Chan V, Kruisselbrink R, Byrne M, Hernandez N, Boublik J, Manson WC, Hogg R, Wilkinson JN, Kalagara H, Nejim J, Ramsingh D, Shankar H, Nader A, Souza D, Narouze S. American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine expert panel recommendations on point-of-care ultrasound education and training for regional anesthesiologists and pain physicians-part I: clinical indications. Reg. Anesth. Pain. Med. 2021 Feb 24:rapm-2021-102560. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2021-102560. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33632778.
  3.  Hernandez N, de Haan JB, Clendenin, Meyer DE, Ghebremichael S, Artime C, Williams G, Holger E, Sen S. Impact of Serratus Plane Block on Pain Scores and Incentive Spirometry Volumes After Blunt Chest Trauma.  Local and Regional Anesthesia.
  4.  Markham T, Wegner R, Hernandez N, Lee JW, Choi W, Eltzschig HK, Zaki J. Assessment of multimodal analgesia protocol to allow the implementation of enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery: Retrospective analysis of patient outcomes. J Clin Anesth. 2018 Nov 5; 54:76-80.
  5. Bowness J, Burckett-St Laurent D, Hernandez N, Keane PA, Lobo C, Margetts S, Moka E, Pawa A, Rosenblatt MA, Sleep N, Taylor A, Woodworth G, Vasalauskaite A, Noble JA, Higham H. Assistive Artificial Intelligence for Ultrasound Image Interpretation in Regional Anaesthesia: An External Validation Study. British Journal of Anesthesia. June 2022
  6. Ahmed HM, Atterton BP, Crowe GG, Barratta JL, Johnson M, Viscusi E, Adhikary S, Albrecht E, Boretsky K, Boublik J, Breslin DS, Byrne K, Ch’ng A, Chuan A, Conroy P, Daniel C, Daszkiewicz A, Delbos A, Dirzu DS, Dmytriiev D, Fennessy P, Fischer HBJ, Frizelle H, Gadsden J, Gautier P, Gupta RK, Gürkan Y, Hardman HD, Harrop-Griffiths W, Hebbard P, Hernandez N, Hlasny J, Iohom G, Ip VHY, Jeng CL, Johnson RL, Kalagara H, Kinirons B, Lansdown AK, Leng JC, Lim YC, Lobo C, Ludwin DB, Macfarlane AJR, Machi AT, Mahon P, Mannion S, McLeod DH, Merjavy P, Miscuks A, Mitchell CH, Moka E, Moran P, Ngui A, Nin OC, O’Donnell BD, Pawa A, Perlas A, Porter S, Pozek JP, Rebelo HC, Roqués V, Schroeder KM, Schwartz G, Schwenk ES, Sermeus L, Shorten G, Srinivasan K, Stevens MF, Theodoraki K, Turbitt LR, Valdés-Vilches LF, Volk T, Webster K, Wiesmann T, Wilson SH, Wolmarans M, Woodworth G, Worek AK, Moran EML. Recommendations for effective documentation in regional anesthesia: an expert panel Delphi consensus project. Reg. Anesth. Pain. Med. 2022 May;47(5):301-308. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2021-103136. Epub 2022 Feb 22. PMID: 35193970; PMCID: PMC8961753.