Raised very close to her grandparents and encouraged early on by her grandmother to become a nurse, Jennifer Gwen McMahon, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), is an oncology nurse navigator with the Medical Center Murrieta at Loma Linda University Health in California. During her stellar career, Dr. McMahon has been honored for her achievements by key organizations, including, yet not limited to, The Daisy Foundation with a coveted DAISY Award in recognition of her remarkable dedication to patient care and surpassing the ordinary call of duty, the Medical Center Murrieta at Loma Linda University Health repeatedly presenting her with its Healing Hands Award, and Marquis Who’s Who including her in its Top Nurses publication.
Dr. McMahon’s firsthand experience as a cancer survivor, coupled with her extensive professional knowledge from years of caring for cancer patients, has solidified her reputation as a trusted health care provider for individuals dealing with the intricacies of this illness. This allows her to establish a strong rapport with patients. Remarkably, she pursued her nurse practitioner degree while undergoing cancer treatment and navigating the pandemic, exemplifying her determination. Today, in her role as an oncology nurse navigator at the medical center since 2016, she engages and consults with patients seeking navigation therapy, offering comprehensive resources and support to patients and their families as they embark on and navigate their cancer treatment paths. Leading with her motto, “It’s more important to do it right than to do it right away,” Dr. McMahon patiently and strategically combines her expertise with having great personal regard for her oncology patients, especially older individuals.
Previously at the Medical Center Murrieta at Loma Linda University Health, Dr. McMahon was the director of quality and clinical effectiveness, a performance excellence specialist, a clinical effectiveness nurse, an interim peer review coordinator, and a charge nurse in medical oncology. Beforehand, she was a staff registered nurse at the Riverside County Regional Medical Center in Moreno Valley, California. Dr. McMahon is thankful to her first supervisor for opening the door to her initial nursing position, advocating for her pursuit of higher education, and emphasizing the significance of always being receptive to new responsibilities, thus enhancing her skill set and establishing her robust professional network.
Equipped with the necessary credentials, Dr. McMahon is an oncology certified nurse through the Oncology Nursing Certification. She also was certified as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board in 2022, in basic life support by the American Heart Association between 2020 and 2022, and as a medical-surgical nurse by the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board from 2013 to 2018. Securing a solid education as well, Dr. McMahon received a post-master’s certificate in adult-gerontology primary care from Azusa Pacific University in California in 2021; her DNP with honors from Loma Linda University in 2013; a Master of Science in Nursing with honors from the University of Phoenix in San Bernardino, California, in 2009; and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Azusa Pacific University in 2006. Now, in her spare time, Dr. McMahon enjoys quality time with her poodle, Kevin, as well as hiking, exercising, sewing, and making quilts.
