By Van Mitchell, staff writer
After nearly three decades with INTEGRIS Health, April Merrill, APRN-CNS, DNP, decided it was time for a new chapter—one that would provide greater flexibility and allow her to lead her own practice.
Last fall, Merrill opened Oklahoma Sleep & Wellness Clinic, located at 5350 S. Western Ave., Suite 200 in Oklahoma City.
“I wanted more flexibility with my schedule,” Merrill said. “My family had been encouraging me to take this step for quite some time. With recent changes in state law allowing advanced practice nurses to practice independently without a supervising physician, it became much easier to open my own clinic.”
Merrill has received approval from the Oklahoma Board of Nursing for Independent Practice. Although the clinic has been open only a few months, it has already earned certification as an Oklahoma Women-Owned Business.
Merrill is a board-certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurse specializing in sleep medicine. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma and later completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Texas Christian University. Throughout her career, she has served as a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma College of Nursing and as a member of the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.
With a strong commitment to patient-centered care, Merrill is passionate about educating patients and developing personalized treatment plans that improve sleep and overall health. She treats adults aged 18 and older.
At Oklahoma Sleep & Wellness Clinic, Merrill specializes in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders through comprehensive sleep consultations, FDA-approved home sleep testing, and advanced therapy options.
“Our clinic offers CPAP, BiPAP, ASV devices, as well as Inspire therapy to treat conditions such as sleep apnea, chronic snoring, and other sleep-related breathing disorders—all right here in Oklahoma City,” Merrill said. “Whether someone is experiencing daytime fatigue, disrupted sleep, or suspects they may have obstructive sleep apnea, we provide convenient, patient-centered solutions to help them sleep better and live healthier lives.”
Merrill has focused primarily on sleep medicine for the past 12 years.
“My earlier background was in diabetes and endocrinology,” she said. “In recent years, most insurance companies have moved toward home sleep testing as the first line of diagnosis rather than in-lab testing. It makes sense—home testing is less expensive, faster, and most patients tend to sleep better in their own beds.”
Today, several types of home sleep testing equipment are available.
“Historically, patients had to check out equipment from a sleep center, take it home, use it overnight, and return it the next day,” Merrill said. “That process could delay diagnosis. Now, newer recyclable home sleep testing devices allow for quicker and more convenient testing. I can offer one of these options to select patients, while others may be referred to facilities that provide different equipment.”
While many patients benefit from home sleep testing, Merrill notes that in-lab sleep studies are still essential for more complex cases. She continues to collaborate with area sleep centers, including those operated by INTEGRIS Health, where she remains an INTEGRIS partner.
“Those facilities offer overnight, in-lab sleep studies, and I still make referrals for those when appropriate,” she said. “They’re particularly helpful for patients who require more advanced or complex testing.”
One technology used by Merrill’s clinic is the NightOwl device, produced by ResMed, a leading manufacturer of CPAP equipment.
“It’s a small device worn on the finger that transmits data through a smartphone app to a secure cloud server,” Merrill explained. “Once enough data is collected, the results are reviewed and interpreted by a collaborating physician, Dr. Whitson, who provides the final interpretation.”
If the study confirms sleep apnea and the patient agrees to treatment, Merrill coordinates therapy with medical equipment providers.
“We can send an order to a durable medical equipment company to initiate CPAP therapy or auto-adjusting PAP therapy,” she said. “After a few weeks of treatment, patients return for follow-up so we can evaluate their progress and make any necessary adjustments.”
Untreated sleep apnea can contribute to several serious health conditions.
“The biggest concerns are heart disease and stroke,” Merrill said. “When breathing decreases during sleep, oxygen levels drop and the body releases stress hormones like cortisol to wake the person up so they can breathe again. Elevated cortisol can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and elevated blood sugar, all of which place additional stress on the body.”
Patients are referred to the clinic by primary care providers, but some seek evaluation after recognizing symptoms themselves.
“We use screening tools such as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Insomnia Severity Index during the initial visit,” Merrill said. “We repeat those assessments after patients begin therapy, and it’s very rewarding to see those scores improve. Even more rewarding is seeing patients come back feeling better, sleeping better, and enjoying improved quality of life.”
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For more information about Oklahoma Sleep & Wellness Clinic, call (405) 777-2727 or visit
www.oksleepwell.com.
