Joan Maldonado-Resto

My name is Dr. Joan (pronounced Joann) Resto, and I am a Family Nurse Practitioner. I earned my Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in June 2018 and later completed my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Brandman University, now known as the University of Massachusetts Global (UMass Global), in May 2021. I have been a nurse for nearly 20 years and have worked in a variety of healthcare settings, including acute care, urgent care, primary care, and nursing education.

I am particularly passionate about cardiology, which has been the primary focus of much of my clinical career. After graduating with my master’s degree, I continued expanding my expertise in cardiovascular disease while practicing as a Cardiology Nurse Practitioner in a private cardiology practice. My area of research focuses on the use of music therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for patients with cardiovascular disease, specifically exploring how music-based interventions can help reduce stress, depression, and anxiety while also contributing to reductions in blood pressure.

In addition to my clinical practice, I have been involved in higher education since 2011, teaching in in-person, synchronous online, and asynchronous learning environments. My academic teaching experience includes roles at Johns Hopkins University and UMass Global, as well as serving as a guest lecturer at the University of California, Irvine. I have also taught in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at Bowie State University and currently teach in the Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) program at Walden University.

Courses Taught

NRNP 6531 - Primary Care of Adults Across the Lifespan

Public Service

University of California, Irvine, Guest Speaker -

Awards / Honors

Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) New Nursing Faculty Fellowship Award, , 2022

Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Academic Nurse Educator Certification Award, , 2025

Associate of the American College of Cardiology, , 2025

Publications

Maldonado-Resto, J. (2021). Utilizing Music Therapy during an Exercise Program to Reduce Blood Pressure and Depressive Symptoms in Adult Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases. Mathews Journal of Nursing

Maldonado-Resto, J. (2025). Grassroots activism local efforts against racism.

Presentations

Maldonado-Resto, J. (2022). Utilizing Music Therapy during an Exercise Program to Reduce Blood Pressure and Depressive Symptoms in Adult Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases. APNA

Maldonado-Resto, J. (2025). Feel the Music: A Study on Mental Well-Being in the Classroom Setting.