Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

A Shot@Life Champion training was held last weekend at the AANP Region 4 and 8 Leaders Meeting. Thirteen new champions participated! Below are several pictures from the event.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas wrote the following blogs recently for 30 Seconds.

• Shedding Light on Chronic Pain: Six Things Everyone Should Know About Living With Chronic Pain
• Ovarian Cancer Isn’t Like Other Cancers: Here Are Seven Reasons Why

AANP South Florida State Representative Dr. Arlene Wright was recently quoted in a local news story about access to mental health care for people in Florida. Wright stressed the importance of asking patients about their mental health and said things are moving in a positive direction due to increased awareness of the need for treatment, “ … because before there was so much of a stigma, so now at least that we are bringing it to the forefront, and people don’t feel ashamed to answer those questions.”

Jessica Wilson, an AANP member, recently started a therapy group for people with schizophrenia. “Out of all the illnesses I treat, that has to be the most debilitating,” Wilson said in a local news report about the group’s formation. “When someone least expects it and they’re the most healthy they are in their life and suddenly it’s all, like taken away from them,” she said.

A  special nursing section of the Fall 2019 edition of Mizzou Magazine featured AANP member Gregory Lind as a Healthier Hero. In 2008, Lind started Firefighter Primary Care to screen firefighters for wellness, cancer and cardiovascular (CV) risks. According to Lind, “Firefighters have increased CV events and higher than average cancer diagnoses.” Over the past 10 years, Lind devised a specific screening program to identify early warning signs, modify occupational risks and help firefighters adopt healthier behaviors. Lind, who is pictured below, indicated that this is Washington state’s first regional fire clinic focusing on the health and safety of firefighters and the only such NP-led clinic in America.

A Chamber Business News article about nurse practitioners (NPs) being the highest paid, most popular job in Arizona referenced AANP and quoted AANP Immediate Past President Dr. Joyce Knestrick. AANP’s research indicates that “While NPs on average have practiced for 10 years, over a third (42.2 percent) have been in practice for five years or less. More than 26,000 new NPs completed their academic programs in 2016-2017, a significant jump from the 23,698 graduates in 2015-2016.”

Congratulations to AANP member Christopher Helms, who recently received the Nurse Practitioner of the Year award from the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners. Read the press release.

DailyNurse published an article on guiding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients from diagnosis to treatment, which featured AANP member Melissa Rubio. To ensure that patients with COPD have the best course of action, Rubio said, treatment plans should be tailored to each patient. According to Rubio, “Every patient is different, and treatments will vary for each patient with COPD — depending on the severity of the disease and other factors, including age, fitness level or medical history. That’s why it’s critical to create an environment where patients are comfortable being completely honest about how they’re feeling both physically and mentally.”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Sheryl Sandahl, the new dean of the College of St. Scholastica’s School of Nursing. Sandahl previously served as the interim dean and has been a member of the St. Scholastica faculty for 17 years. Learn more.

AANP member Beth Kaplan was pictured and quoted in an article about the difficulty that Medicaid and Medicare patients have obtaining specialty care. Kaplan indicated that it took several months for her to help one patient find a dermatologist, and the one she found was 40 miles away. “That’s a little ridiculous, in my opinion,” said Kaplan. “Unfortunately, there really (was) no one to send (him) to in Greenwich” who would take his insurance.  (Subscription required.)

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

The Advanced Nursing Education Workforce for Healthy Delta Moms and Babies program recently received approximately $3 million in grant funding to improve health care in underserved and rural populations by preparing doctor of nursing practice (DNP) students to care for patients in the area. AANP Fellow Dr. Bobby Bellflower and AANP member Dr. Laura Reed are among the leaders of the organization. According to a press release about the grant, “A commitment of three years will guarantee DNP students enrolled in the program free tuition, books, and a small stipend.” AANP Fellow Dr. Wendy Likes was quoted in the release.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Vanessa Pomarico-Denino, who is the recipient of the first annual Yale-New Haven Health Systems’ Diversity Summit All In Award (pictured below). Pomarico-Denino serves as the lead clinician for the Northeast Medical Group’s Diversity and Inclusion efforts and was recognized for her work to educate health care providers and staff on the appropriate and affirming care of the LGBTQIA+ patients.

AANP Region 11 Director Dr. Doreen Cassarino and AANP South Florida State Representative Dr. Arlene Wright represented AANP and exhibited at the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network conference. Cassarino (L) and Wright (R) are pictured below.

Tips on ways for parents to tell the difference in back to school jitters or real anxiety were provided by AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas in a blog for Thrive. According to Thomas, “More than 2 million American children have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder, but 80 percent of youth with a diagnosable anxiety disorder do not get any treatment. This is especially difficult for kids who develop anxiety early and navigate their entire childhood without adequate support.”

Thomas also wrote the following blogs that were recently published by 30 Seconds.

• Fall Sports Injuries: When to Have Your Student-athlete Checked Out 
• Prostate Cancer Facts and Stats: Eight Things Every Man Should Know About Prostate Cancer

“Nurse practitioner-led practices are vital parts of our health care system that produce great population health outcomes,” AANP Fellow Dr. Bernadette Melnyk said in a press release about The Ohio State University College of Nursing’s Total Health and Wellness Center, which was recently awarded full “Federally-qualified Health Center” status by the Health  Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). “We are so excited about this new status and the support that comes with it that will help us continue to further expand our terrific health care services to help even more families in the East side community live healthier lives,” Melnyk said.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Elizabeth Ellis, who was elected to the Texas Association of Rural Health Clinics Board of Directors. Ellis will represent health care providers and Independent Rural Health Clinics on the board. In addition, Ellis is currently serving on the Policy Committee for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics. “This is a great honor to be working to improve the rural health crisis while representing nurse practitioners at the state and federal levels,” Ellis said.

The October 2019 issue of Critical Care Medicine^® includes a literature review co-authored by AANP Fellows Dr. Ruth Kleinpell and Corinna Sicoutris, AANP Region 4 Director Dr. April Kapu and others, which is entitled Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Acute and Critical Care: A Concise Review of the Literature and Data 2008–2018. The authors found that a growing number of studies continue to demonstrate the impact that advanced practice providers (APPs) have in both acute and critical care settings. “It is evident from this review,” the authors concluded, “that collectively, NPs and PAs [physician assistants] are essential members of the ICU and acute care teams who can assist in patient care management as well as promote implementation of evidence-based practice and continuity of care.”

A $1 million gift to the University of Wyoming Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing by the McMurry Foundation honors AANP Fellow Dr. Mary Burman and “aims boost the delivery of psychiatric mental health nursing and integrated care in Wyoming through UW’s undergraduate and graduate programs.” According to a press release about the gift, “Burman’s dedicated contributions and innovations have advanced the practice of nursing and health care in Wyoming and the profession. She has been at the center of revolutionizing the state’s nursing education through the ReNEW program, which creates a statewide nursing curriculum that makes it easier for associate-level nurses to earn bachelor’s degrees and beyond.”

Congratulations to AANP member Anthony Velasco, who recently received the 2019 Stonewall Humanitarian Award for “leading life-changing programs for the LGBTQ+ community and those living with HIV” and “the effort to fulfill the United Nations’ 90-90-90 goal (to get 90% of people with HIV diagnosed, 90% of those diagnosed on treatment, and 90% of that group virally suppressed).” Learn more.

Nurse practitioner (NP), AANP member and bear chaser, Sara Benson, was featured on the Dr. Magda Podcast, where she discussed “the magic of hospice.” Listen to the podcast.

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Amber Carriveau, who received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Association. In a press release about the award, Carriveau said, “The reality of continuing practice in an ever-changing healthcare arena, role models to students the mission and vision of being a professional nurse.”

AANP member Pat Donahue volunteers to remove inmates’ tattoos prior to release so they can have a chance at a fresh start, according to a local news article. “After delivering more than 1,000 babies as a midwife and eight years as a family nurse practitioner, Donahue opened Your Best Skin on Center Street in 2012 offering services including Botox, hydro-facials and tattoo removal.” To date, Donahue has helped 100 inmates undergo tattoo removal.

A special nursing section of the Fall 2019 edition of Mizzou Magazine featured AANP member Gregory Lind as a Healthier Hero. In 2008, Lind started Firefighter Primary Care to screen firefighters for wellness, cancer and cardiovascular (CV) risks. According to Lind, “Firefighters have increased CV events and higher than average cancer diagnoses.” Over the past 10 years, Lind devised a specific screening program to identify early warning signs, modify occupational risks and help firefighters adopt healthier behaviors. Lind indicated that this is Washington state’s first regional fire clinic focusing on the health and safety of firefighters and the only such NP-led clinic in America.

Two new clinics were recently opened by AANP member Siobhan Benham to help patients access care without incurring high insurance costs. “I have had families tell me they have saved $30,000 by stepping out of the insurance world,” Benham said. “I’ve also had people say they feel like they’re paying for a friend and that they look forward to visits when they used to feel fear.” Learn more.

For AANP member Sherry Kropatsch, “people with mental health conditions deserve just as much support and compassion as people with physical health conditions.” To expand access to mental health care and treatment for substance use disorder, Kropatsch recently opened a new clinic. In a local news article, Kropatsch said, “After realizing how underserved our area is for providers willing to prescribe Suboxone, I knew I needed to expand my mental health services by offering this medication-assisted treatment to my community with the opening of Mental Wellness.”

With the help of a colleague, AANP member Charles Yingling “set up a program called the Community Health Immersion Clinical (CHIC), a yearlong, longitudinal experience where students get assigned to a home clinic … and rotate to other service lines, such as oral health, psychiatric-mental health and sports medicine.” According to a press release, through the program, 20 University of Illinois at Chicago Nursing family and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner students will be selected in each year of the four years of the grant and placed at one of the four practice partners.”

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas discussed the importance of full practice authority laws with Nurse.com and said, “At a time when America faces such serious health challenges such as the opioid crisis, ongoing physician shortages and lack of access to primary care services, it’s hard to justify keeping these outdated laws in place.”

Thomas also wrote an op-ed published by Route Fifty on ways that nurse practitioners (NPs) can help address the opioid epidemic by completing training, provided by various organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and applying for a Drug Enforcement Administration waiver to provide medication-assisted treatments (MATs).

In a press release about AANP reaching the 100,000 member milestone, Thomas said, “AANP has seen its membership grow alongside the health care industry and the public’s embrace of NPs as highly skilled clinicians who provide primary, specialty and acute care to millions of patients across the country. The faith that patients have in the services provided by NPs is evidenced by the more than one billion visits made to NPs annually.”

“The Health Wagon in Wise County has been awarded a three-year, $1 million grant from the United Health Foundation, allowing the clinic to provide more specialty and diagnostic treatment to patients in six Southwest Virginia counties,” according to a recent press release. Congratulations to AANP Fellows Dr. Teresa Gardner Tyson and Dr. Paula Hill, of the Health Wagon. “It’s really one of the most awesome things that has ever happened to the Health Wagon. It’s a gamechanger for us,” Tyson said.

AANP North Florida State Representative Dr. Stacia Hays recently traveled to Brazil, where she was a keynote speaker for a conference celebrating of 15 years of advanced nursing practice in the country. The focus was on moving toward the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree and included discussions on innovative learning methods, including online learning, the role of the advanced practice nurse in the U.S. and its impact on care. Hays is pictured below second from the left with the directors of one of only two DNP programs in Brazil.

Thank you to AANP North Texas State Representative Dr. Shelagh Larson and AANP South Texas State Representative Dr. Anna Jessup, who represented AANP at its exhibitor booth during the Texas Nurse Practitioner (TNP) in Austin last weekend. Congratulations to AANP member Jessica Wilson, who received the TNP Community Impact Award. Larson (right) and Jessup (left) are pictured below.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Valerie J. Fuller, who serves as board president for the Maine State Board of Nursing, and was recently re-elected Area IV Director for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). According to a press release, Fuller previously served in a variety of leadership capacities.

A new study by AANP Fellow Dr. Michele Litchman on using projective exercises to identify patient perspectives of living with comorbid type 2 diabetes and asthma indicated that “Projective exercises are one way to elicit feelings about living with chronic conditions. Healthcare providers can improve support for patients with more than one health condition by providing education on how to manage comorbid conditions.” Read more. Litchman was also quoted in a local news article about the high price of insulin. “This is something I call the debt or death dilemma,” Litchman said.

ABC News interviewed AANP member Amy Smith about the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program at Hofstra University. NPs who have completed the SANE program may be in greater demand in the future. Smith said, “As people are being educated about their rights, they’re coming forward more now. We don’t want to limit where patients can go. Any emergency department should be able to care for you.”

Tips for transitioning a juvenile idiopathic arthritis patient to adult care were provided by AANP member Cathy Patty-Resk. “One of the most important things for the adult providers to know is how old was the patient when he or she was diagnosed, what joints were affected at the time of diagnosis, and a general history of their disease and medications used,” Patty-Resk said. Learn more.

Congratulations to AANP member Dianne Conrad, who is the recipient of a Fullbright scholarship. According to a press release about the award, Conrad will be working to assess graduate education for advanced practice registered nurses.

After presenting about psoriatic arthritis at the Rheumatology Nurses Society annual meeting in August, AANP member Linda Grinnell-Merrick was interviewed by the Rheumatology Network. Grinnell-Merrick said, “Even a small amount of psoriasis or presentation with prolonged stiffness or joint pain can be a good clue, particularly if it affects a larger joint in a lower extremity. Those are probably the easiest to identify more so than if someone presents with more enthesitis symptoms.”

Congratulations to AANP member Randy Wolfe, who was named Nurse Practitioner of the Year by Rhode Island Monthly. The 2019 Excellence in Nursing Awards were awarded to individuals who “truly embody the ‘care’ part of health care.” Read more.

In a local news report, AANP member Dr. Rachel Lessor discussed the importance of intestinal health. “Good gut health is different in every patient. Some people cannot tolerate lactose and other people can’t tolerate wheat, they have gluten allergies,” she said. “What I recommend is someone keeps track of the food diary and logs what they’re eating and how they do with those foods.”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Susan Watson, who was among the 2019 Healthcare Heroes named by Utah Business. I have always worked in healthcare, and cannot imagine working in another field,” Watson said. Read more.

The importance of empowering nurses was the subject of an op-ed written by AANP member Dr. Beth DeKoninck. “With the high stress that nurses and nurse practitioners experience as they care for patients who are sicker than ever before, work long hours and experience other challenges in the workplace,” DeKoninck said, “it is imperative that we empower all nurses to be their best. Empowerment through increased education, workplace support, resources and regular feedback results in less burnout and better patient outcomes and lower costs to the health care system — a win for all.”

A local news report about the dangers associated with vaping quoted AANP member Paige Pioppi, who indicated that fun flavors may seem attractive and harmless to teens. “This is really emerging to be a national health crisis,” Pioppi said.

Additional coverage of deaths associated with vaping quoted AANP member Joan Gatte. “Vaping definitely is a major health concern at this point,” Gatte said. “We have been alerted by the Louisiana Department of Health to report suspected cases and that has come about because of the recent outbreaks across the states.”

This October, AANP member Dewana Bobo will host diabetes education classes in her community. Learn more about Dining with Diabetes.

Congratulations to AANP member Jessica Sullivan and Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing, who received a $2.8 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to prepare NPs with the experience they need to serve in rural or underserved areas. “The idea with that is that they have more exposure to vulnerable populations so that they feel more prepared to care for those populations when they graduate,” Sullivan said in a press release.

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

AANP Fellow Dr. Brett Snodgrass was interviewed by National Public Radio (NPR) for an article about the prevalence of pain in the U.S. One in five Americans indicated that pain interferes with their daily lives, and pain relief methods differed depending upon income.

Everyday Health quoted AANP Fellow Dr. Michelle Litchman in an article about the benefits of joining a diabetes online community (DOC). Litchman said, “For a lot of people, having diabetes can be isolating.” The article indicated that “DOCs can help people with diabetes create a support network that understands the day-to-day nuances of diabetes management on a deeper level.”

AANP Fellow Dr. Tom Bush and AANP member Terra Beek were quoted in an article about ways that nurse practitioners are increasing access to care for patients in rural communities. The article indicated that “Nurse practitioners are increasingly providing primary-care services. According to the Sheps Center for Health Services Research, between 1990 and 2013, the nurse-practitioner workforce jumped by almost 500%, compared with 42% growth in the physician workforce.”

AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas wrote several timely blogs for 30 Seconds.

• Measles Facts: Six Things Every Parent Should Know About the Measles
• Community Health Centers: Five Ways Health Centers Make Communities Better and Make a Difference
• Breastfeeding Help for New Moms: Five Thoughtful Ways to Support a Breastfeeding Mom

Mental health nurse practitioners can increase access to care for patients in need of behavioral health care, according to an article that quoted AANP member Dr. Diane N. Solomon. “Across the nation, the demand for mental health nurses is soaring,” the article indicated. “People like Diane are stepping up to help meet the need in health care systems, clinics, hospitals, primary care settings, public health, and through telemedicine.”

An article about nursing tuition increases quoted AANP Fellow Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, who justified the increased rates and said, “… our accreditation bodies require a ratio of one faculty to six to eight students.” According to Melnyk, rates had not been increased in five years, “ … so it needed to be done in order to maintain the quality of our programming.”

Tips to beat back-to-school germs and stay healthy were provided by AANP member Darci Portie, and she encouraged people in her community to practice good hand hygiene and take other reasonable precautions to reduce exposure to germs. Read more.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) inducted its 13th group of Fellows of the NCSBN Institute of Regulatory Excellence (IRE) during the NCSBN Annual Meeting and Delegate Assembly last month, according to a recent press release. Congratulations to several AANP members who were among the inductees.

• Jacqueline Baer, South Carolina Board of Nursing
• Janeen Dahn, Arizona State Board of Nursing
• Jimmy Reyes, Iowa Board of Nursing

A new report on lipedema was released by AANP member Dr. Carol Rowsemitt. Read the press release to learn more about lipedema.

Congratulations to AANP member Sara McClear, who was recently named the Director of Clinical Operations for the Lung Health Institute. McClear will “oversee clinical operations across all five of Lung Health Institute’s clinics, ensuring the highest level of patient care,” according to a local news article about her new role.

AANP member Beth DeKoninck wrote an op-ed for a local newspaper that discussed the importance of empowering nurses. According to DeKoninck, “The Institute of Medicine published recommendations in 2010 to transform nursing practice. Their recommendations were that nurses work to the full extent of their education; nurses achieve higher levels of education; and nurses be full partners with physicians in redesigning health care.”

A local news article about the turnover rate for health care providers in Maine quoted AANP member Maureen Harpell.

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

AANP member Sharon Burgert is featured in the Expanding the Team section of a U.S. News & World Report article that indicated, “A 2018 analysis by UnitedHealth Group found that the number of people living in a county with a primary care shortage would decline from 44 million to fewer than 13 million by using nurse practitioners.” Looking for a no-cost, no-delay solution? States that choose NPs lead the way. #WeChooseNPs

Congratulations to AANP member Tarik S. Khan, who received The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Influencer of Healthcare Award for Excellence in Volunteerism. According to a press release about the award, “This recognition honors Philadelphia’s leading healthcare professionals who make a difference in their patients’ lives and the collective well-being of the city.” Kahn said, “Growing up, I recognized advocacy as a common trait in nurses through my mom, and I was later attracted to this field that is dedicated to helping make people’s lives better.” Read more. Watch Khan’s acceptance speech.

Newsday quoted AANP member Amy Smith in an article about 20 emergency room nurses who earned their certification as sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE) in the first class to graduate from the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies’ SANE program. Smith coordinates to SANE program at Hofstra and said, “This program is important for nursing to keep us evolving and growing so we work to the full breadth of our scope of practice. Having SANE nurses in our hospitals benefits all of the diverse communities we serve so that no patient who seeks SANE services needs to be transferred out of our facilities and out of their neighborhoods.”

AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas wrote several timely blogs for 30 Seconds.

• Vaccines 101: What Immunizations Are and Six Reasons Why They’re Important for Everyone.
• Deciding Whether to Breastfeed? Here Are Six Breastfeeding Facts to Help You Make Up Your Mind.
• Back-to-school Health Checklist: Five Things You Can Do to Start the Year Off Right.

Thomas also wrote Empowering Breastfeeding Women: Six Laws That Protect Moms and Their Babies for Thrive Global.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Gail Sadler, 2019 Florida Nurse Practitioner Network Nurse Practitioner of the Year. See pictures from the award ceremony, and learn more.

When you name someone as your health care surrogate, AANP Fellow Douglas Houghton told Advisory Board, “You need to have a real conversation with that person, and not simply write down a name on a piece of paper that you keep in a filing cabinet.” Read this article about the importance of end-of-life directives.

According to a local news article about the opening of AANP member Tristah Romero-Kelly’s new clinic, “Her cousin’s death inspired her to be a nurse. Now she’s helping people by opening a med spa.” Romero-Kelly said, “My theme throughout my nursing career has been to help people and make them feel good. I’ve seen how this can build people’s confidence and I think if you feel good on the outside, you naturally feel good on the inside.”

AANP member Jill Martin will be increasing access to health care for patients in Hilltown, New York, by opening a new NP-led practice after another clinic closed in what may be a medically underserved area. Learn more.

In a local news article about ways to prevent illness as children return to school, AANP member Dora Zamora discussed common communicable diseases and said, “The most important thing is hand-washing. Talk to your kids of all ages about the importance of hand-washing. If they don’t have access to a sink with water, they can use hand sanitizer- it’s proven to be just as effective.”

Alzheimer’s disease is expected to require more state resources in Rhode Island, according to a local news report that quoted AANP member Colin Burns and discussed the role he will play in increasing access to care for patients. Burns will serve as lead NP at the geriatric psychiatry wing that is currently under development at Westerly Hospital. “It’s so great to see so many more local resources starting to grow,” Burns said.

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

A recent Washington Examiner article about efforts to gain full practice authority in Pennsylvania quoted AANP Vice President of State Government Affairs Dr. Taynin Kopanos, AANP Washington D.C. State Representative Cathy Hampton and AANP member Dr. Adele Caruso, who serves as president of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners. Kopanos used an analogy to describe how current restrictions affect NPs and their ability to care for patients in the state. “It’s like having a driver’s license but then making it illegal for you to drive unless you have a permission slip from someone in your neighborhood,” Kopanos said of the collaborative agreement requirement.

An article by the California Healthcare Foundation indicated that nurse practitioners (NPs) with full practice authority can help expand access to quality health care for patients in rural areas. Practice environments in several states were discussed, and AANP member Karen Zink, who practices in Colorado, was quoted. “The critical issue at stake is access to care for underserved populations living in remote and rural areas as well as urban centers,” Zink said. “There is a significant body of evidence showing that the expansion of nurse practitioners’ practice authority will serve these populations well, especially as health workforce shortages loom large.”

Listen to an interview with AANP Fellow Dr. Michelle Litchman about the rising costs of care for patients with diabetes. According to Litchman, many patients are now forced to choose between basic needs for themselves and their families or the insulin they need to stay healthy.

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, who was recently appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) ad hoc Committee on Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the United States. According to a press release about the appointment, “The 17-member committee of experts in the field was convened at the request of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study and provide direction for future public health programs, policy, and research in sexually transmitted diseases (STD) prevention and control.”

AANP Immediate Past President Dr. Joyce Knestrick wrote a blog for 30 Seconds titled, Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Provider: How It Can Save You a Lot of Headaches This School Year. Knestrick said, “Having a trusted primary care provider can help keep your family healthy and sane, and NPs are a smart choice for parents on the go!”

In a local news story about NPs, AANP member Billie Madler said, “…Nurse Practitioners are seeing over 1-billion patient visits annually, and so they are filling an incredible need in meeting a demand in the healthcare industry. And that’s really where the whole profession started from, was meeting a need.”

AANP member Lindsey Brough was quoted in a local news article about ways that technology is increasing access to health care for children and helping minimize time away from class for students. Learn more about ways that telehealth is helping students and their parents in Indiana.

A Washington Post article about the importance of end-of-life directives quoted AANP member Douglas Houghton. “The best advanced directive is to name an educated person as your health-care surrogate,” said Houghton. “You need to have a real conversation with that person, and not simply write down a name on a piece of paper that you keep in a filing cabinet.”

The Cincinnati Storytellers Project presented by AANP member Marcy Fitzgerald and four other individuals that were about unexpected adventures that changed their lives. Fitzgerald spoke about ways that a friend encouraged her to embrace unexpected adventures. Learn more.

A local news report about a recent American Heart Association study on vitamin D and cardiovascular disease quoted AANP member Amanda Kallas. “Vitamin D could be checked through a blood test, and it’s as simple as following up with a healthcare provider to obtain an order for that blood test,” Kallas said.

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

In an op-ed published by The Tennessean, AANP Oregon State Representative Dr. Laurel Hallock Koppelman and AANP member Heather Jackson explained how state laws differ and impact care for patients with opioid use disorder in Oregon and Tennessee. “Until Tennessee restrictions are lifted for nurse practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, access to health care is reduced.”

The Daily Progress quoted AANP Fellows Dr. Teresa Tyson and Dr. Paula Hill of the Health Wagon in an article about ways that telehealth is increasing access to care for patients in rural areas. In the Connecting People section of the article, Tyson and Hill explained how telehealth has helped them save patients’ lives. According to the article, “They were the first, and possibly still the only, nurse practitioners to do telecystoscopies, which allow a urologist to look inside a patient’s bladder.” Tyson explained, “What we know is we have really low rates of bladder cancer and high rates of smoking. That does not correlate. If you have high rates of smoking, you should have high rates of bladder cancer.” People were not diagnosed, because although they had symptoms, they were unable to be tested. Telehealth allows patients to obtain necessary testing.

Thrive Global recently interviewed AANP member Elis Salamone about life and leadership lessons learned in the military. Salamone served in the Air Force for more than 25 years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. After sharing her experience and insights, Salamone said, “I also want to have a call to action for nursing professionals to be kind, be inclusive and respectful of their fellow team mates no matter how hard life gets. We spend 90% of our lifetime at work, let’s make it as pleasant as possible to improve patient outcomes and decrease burnt out. God knows there’s plenty of work and we need to pay it forward to the next generation of nursing professionals.”

AANP Immediate Past President Dr. Joyce Knestrick wrote two timely blogs for 30 Seconds.

• Lung Cancer Facts: Eight Things Women Need to Know About Lung Cancer
• Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Provider: How it Can Save You a Lot of Headaches This School Year

A Huffington Post article on sleep disorder signs quoted AANP member Ellen Wermter, who is a Better Sleep Council spokesperson. Wermter said, “If you have good sleep habits and still feel that your sleep quality is poor, that’s a sign it’s time to make an appointment with a specialist.”

AANP Fellow Dr. Christine Pintz will lead The Nurse Practitioner Technology Enhanced Community Health program at George Washington University (GWU), which will be developed thanks to $2.8 million in grant funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. Learn more from Daily Nurse and from GWU Nursing.

Dr. Jennifer Clifton will present “Primary Care of the Recent Juvenile Assault Victim” at the National Commission on Correctional Health Care’s (NCCH) National Conference in October. Clifton is an AANP member and the organization’s liaison to the NCCHC board of directors. Learn more about the presentation.

Oncology Nursing News quoted AANP member Laura Zitella in an article about understanding chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), treatment and adverse events. The quote was taken from Zitella’s presentation at the Third Annual School of Nursing Oncology at the University of California San Fransisco. Zitella said, “Many of your patients, even those with solid tumors, are at risk for developing leukemia. So, [learning about leukemia] is applicable to [all nurses]. In addition to that, age is one of the biggest risk factors for leukemia. So, you might have a patient who has head and neck cancer but is possibly being treated for their CLL.”

In a local news article about back to school health screenings, AANP member Susan Dock emphasized the importance of annual health screenings. “By establishing a routine, year after year, we can recognize things before they become a problem,” Dock said. “A yearly physical is always smart.”

Another back to school article from a local news station quoted AANP member Tanasha Varino, who encouraged parents to educate themselves about vaccines. “Any disease that a child is not vaccinated against does put them at risk for developing that disease,” said Varino. “Recently there has been an outbreak of MMR, Measles, Mumps, Rubella in California. I haven’t seen any of this in my personal practice, but it’s definitely a risk.”

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas wrote several timely blogs for 30 Seconds.

• Inflammation Remedies: Six Things You Can Do to Reduce Inflammation (and Feel Better, Too!)
• Six Steps to Better African-American Mental Health: How to Get the Care You Deserve
• Road Trip Health Tips: How to Make Your Family Road Trip Healthy and Fun

AANP S. New York State Representative Dr. Mary Koslap-Petraco was interviewed by Contemporary Pediatrics about the public health crisis in New York as it relates to skyrocketing measles infection rates. “Honestly, the biggest thing that we need to do is build the trust,” Koslap-Petraco told listeners. “We also need to share the stories of parents whose children have been sickened by this horrible disease … I think my final thoughts are, we pro-vaccine folks can’t be afraid to engage with parents and we need to take the time to speak with them. Always respectfully, always listening to them first, usually the way that I start out the conversation is tell me what you’ve heard and let’s discuss this point by point. Addressing every one of their concerns.”

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Lovoria Williams, who was recently named Nurse Researcher of the Year by the National Black Nurses Association. According to a press release, “As an active clinician serving the veteran, homeless and nicotine-dependent patients, Williams adeptly integrates student teaching and research into her family nurse practitioner role.”

AANP Fellow Dr. Kathleen Schachman and the Bay Community Health Clinic recently received a $2.8 million federal grant, which will allow Schachman and the Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) to train nurse practitioners (NPs) to “combat the pressing health crises of addictions and mental health in some of Michigan’s most under-served communities.” Acording to a local news article, “SVSU will empower a new generation of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners to serve on the front lines of patient care. It’s an initiative that could prove transformative to rural communities in Michigan where thousands suffer from the opioid epidemic …” Schachman said, “People are dying. Families and communities are being destroyed. Those in rural areas who are seeking care often have to travel up to 100 miles and wait two or three months to receive addictions treatment. Sadly, many die while they wait. This educational grant will target this significant treatment gap.”

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Danielle Howa-Pendergrass, who recently received a Citizen of the Year Award in recognition of her dedication to the health education and well being of citizens in her community.

A Kansas City camp offers children a fun escape from kidney disease, according to a local news article that quotes AANP member Kathleen Mallett, who volunteers at the camp. “I love seeing the kids just get to be kids,” Mallett said. “They just get to be like other kids like them. It’s pretty hard to be a kid and fit in and this is a good opportunity for them to do that.”

MD Anderson published an article about the important role that advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants play in cancer care. The article quoted AANP member Brandon Sterling. As a newly credentialed APRN on a busy unit, Sterling “was tasked with transferring a post-operative urology patient who had a stroke to a nearby hospital.” Sterling said of the experience, “I was working with the family, case manager, social worker, nursing team, attending physician, insurance company and receiving hospital. I was doing what I needed to do to ensure the whole patient received the care needed as quickly as possible.”

Congratulations to AANP member Codi Rhear, an oncology nurse practitioner (NP) who recently earned the national DAISY Award. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Award is given annually to nurses and nursing faculty and students for extraordinary care of their patients. “I don’t always get to fix (patients) or cure them. You can’t always do that with cancer,” Rhear said. “But if I can help people live life to the fullest and meet those goals, I feel like I’ve accomplished something.” Learn more.

Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) serving primarily black families have more dangerous nurse-to-patient ratios, according to a Florence Health article that references a session presented by AANP member Juliette Blount at the 2019 AANP National Conference. According to the article, “There isn’t a simple or even single way to eliminate racial biases from your own behavior at work. But important first steps to make sure you’re providing equal care are to learn about racial health disparities and to ask questions.”

A local news article about clinical placements for NP students quoted AANP member Sarah Smith, who participated in the program. “It was a very small rural clinic, and I got to see a lot of different issues, which is what interested me in rural work in general and in Monroe Clinic in particular,” Smith said.

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

The Digital Journal reported on AANP Chief Executive Officer David Hebert‘s op-ed in Time, which indicated that more nurse practitioners (NPs) could potentially solve the opioid crisis. The Time article was co-authored by Tommy Thompson, who served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and as the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin. “Empowering nurse practitioners to treat addiction—and removing unnecessary restrictions at the state level—can go a long way in liberating American patients,” Thompson and Hebert wrote.

NPs are the solution to health care provider shortages, AANP President Dr. Sophia Thomas wrote in an article for The Hill. “NP-provided care is associated with decreased hospitalizations, decreased readmissions, and improved health care outcomes. These cost savings are compounded in states with FPA, where there is less unnecessary provider duplication and involvement in matters that can be fully handled by an NP.” The op-ed was covered by McKnight’s Senior Living and Becker’s Hospital Review.

Thomas also wrote the following blogs recently:

• Group B Strep Prep: When and Why Pregnant Women Should Be Tested
• It’s OK to Not Be OK: Six Mental Health Reminders That Minorities Need to Hear
• Preparing for Summer Sleep Away Camp: Five Health Tips for Parents
• It’s Not All in Your Head: Four Steps to Improve Minority Mental Health in Your Community

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, who was recently elected president of the National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities (BHAC), which seeks to enhance population health and well-being at universities and colleges and within their communities. AANP member Dr. Mario Ortiz serves as Research and Evidence-based Practice Chair for the organization. Learn more.

“I believe nurse practitioners are vital health care providers who can play an important role in the future health of our populations,” AANP member Dr. Kathryn Daniel said in a recent news article about her work. “Through my work and research, I am thrilled to be part of the group building the science of nursing through future nurse practitioners and nurse scientists.” Daniel recently became an American Academy of Nursing Fellow.

Congratulations to the St. Mary’s Health Wagon and AANP Fellows Dr. Teresa Gardner Tyson and Dr. Paula E.S. Hill for being among the recipients of the 2019 National Association of Free and Charitable Clinic grants from CVS Health and the CVS Health Foundation. According to a press release, “The grants will support increased access to quality care through substance abuse prevention, chronic disease management and assessing the social determinants of health.”

Florence Health shared AANP member Juliette Blount’s five ways that health care providers can minimize racial health disparities. Blount presented “What is Race and Why Does it Matter?” at the 2019 AANP National Conference in Indianapolis. Blount said, “Talking about it [race] is not going to kill you. But not talking about race is going to kill patients.” Read more.

AANP Fellow Dr. Cheryl Rising educated people in her community about the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and using an incremental approach to ensure that changes last over time. “Half of the people in our nation are either overweight or obese according to their body mass index,” Rising said in a local news article about the event. “People who continue to be overweight get heart disease, diabetes, arthritis. Kids who are overweight and obese often stay that way as adults. These children also have increased psychological problems, anxiety, depression and all the chronic illnesses that go along with obesity, and developing these problems at an earlier age than happened in any previous generation.”

A clinic that provides free health care services to uninsured patients was started nearly a decade ago by AANP member Jami Easterday. According to a local news report, Easterday was inspired to increase access to health care for patients after she “encountered a longtime patient who had to receive kidney dialysis because they were forced to choose to pay their bills and buying groceries over purchasing necessary medication.” Learn more about the clinic and the patients it serves.

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Jeffery Ramirez, who was recently elected to serve as Member-at-Large on the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Board of Directors. Read the press release.

Risk factors liking heart disease and diabetes will be discussed by AANP member Charlie Shelton at a patient education event. Shelton will help diabetes patients identify and reduce the risk factors associated with heart disease. Participants will be given the opportunity to share their own experiences, tips, ideas and concerns, according to an advisory about the event.

Last month, AANP member Jessica Wilson told a local news station that first responders are affected by trauma, and in some cases, they can experience post-traumatic stress disorder. “It [trauma] can affect everyone a different way, but sometimes the reactions are delayed,” Wilson said. “Nightmares, intrusive thoughts, having flashbacks of what happened, avoiding things. We would then consider, is this post-traumatic stress disorder? In which case you’d really want to go seek some help and see if there’s anything we can do to get you feeling better.” Wilson was also featured in a news report that highlighted her advocacy efforts to improve mental health care for patients.

AANP member Cynthia Moreno is among the final seven candidates for three open positions on the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees. Read a summary of the question and answer session in which finalists participated.

Tips to ease allergy symptoms were shared by AANP member Dr. Nata Matthews in a local news report. Matthews discussed allergy symptoms and shared insights to help people identify whether they could treat their symptoms at home or if they needed to visit a health care provider.

Five common summer health myths were recently debunked by AANP member Natalie Yount. Read the helpful health tips she shared with readers of her local newspaper.

AANP member Tony Hogan owns an NP-led practice, and he recently opened a mobile food service and catering company. “I can’t have a disappointment because I love doing this,” Hogan said in a local news report about his new business. “I love taking care of people in my office. I love doing this. My life is full of results and positive energy now.”

In an article about preceptorships for nursing students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison designed to help address rural health care shortages, AANP member Sarah Smith discussed her experience working in a clinic in rural Illinois. “The nurse practitioner I worked with had a lot of independence in her practice.,” Smith said. “Other providers within the clinic were very supportive if she had a question. It was a really collaborative environment, working together as a team.”

Congratulations to AANP members Dr. Margaret Zoellers, Dr. Alison Connell and Dr. Angela Wood and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), who recently received a 2019 Blackboard Catalyst Award in Teaching and Learning for the “exemplary design, quality and performance of the EKU Online Rural Health Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Program. “Delivering online learning presents unique challenges, but ultimately must equal that of a face-to-face program,” FNP program coordinator Zoellers said. Read the press release to learn more.

Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

AANP Fellow Dr. Margaret Flinter was quoted in an article about a $3.2 million Health Resources and Services Administration grant that will help Community Health Center, Inc. (CHC) expand and develop its Postgraduate Nurse Practitioner (NP) Residency Program. “CHC created the model and established the first formal Postgraduate Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program in 2007 to provide new NPs committed to practice careers as primary care providers in complex settings like community health centers with a depth and intensity of training to be successful in this challenging setting,” Flinter said.

“Nurses should always have a voice whenever and wherever health care is a discussion,” according to a Nurse.org article that describes AANP member Dr. Veronica Southerland’s experience speaking to the United Nations. Southerland said, “Once you realize that you have more to add to your profession and that people actually need to hear what you have to say via your experience or research that you’ve completed, it makes a difference. We, as nurses, need to understand our worth. I don’t know if nurses genuinely understand that.”

What’s it like to be the only primary care provider in a small, rural town? At the 2019 AANP National Conference in Indianapolis, Dr. Tammy Bartholomew received the 2019 State Excellence Award for Missouri, in part for her full-practice advocacy and collaboration with the school district. She sat down with Florence Health to discuss the pros and cons of being a family care provider in an underserved area. Learn more.

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Jennifer Adamski, who is a new board of directors member for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Read the press release.

A member of the first cohort of the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) program through Florida International University (FIU), AANP member Angelina St. Germain, shared her perspective with FIU News. St. Germain mentioned her mentor, AANP Fellow Dr. Tami Thomas, in the article, and said, “My hope is to investigate effective strategies to improve understanding of the HPV vaccine as a cancer prevention tool, which could increase vaccine uptake, reduce stigma and enhance informed decision-making among rural parents … I have chosen to focus my studies on strategies to increase HPV vaccination rates, particularly among rural middle schoolers.”

Congratulations to AANP members Kelly Spray and Anna Wistrom-Thesing, who were recently recognized along with several other Essentia Health physicians and advanced practice clinicians as being among the top in the nation for patient care. Read the press release.

Congratulations to AANP member Roxanne Phillips, whose quality improvement project on health care provider awareness regarding statin prescribing guidelines received the best poster award at the Society of Vascular Nursing 2019 Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. A local news article about the honor indicated that “The poster featured a quality-improvement program on statins for peripheral artery disease using health information technology. Ms. Phillips, a nurse practitioner with Vascular Institute of Chattanooga and DNP student at University of Alabama at Birmingham, determined electronic reminders in a patient’s electronic medical record increased the percentage of patients at VIC who were appropriately treated with statins based on best practice guidelines.”

“Nearly two dozen hospitals and educational institutions from across Long Island each nominated a top nurse for recognition at this year’s Nurse of Excellence Award Ceremony in Nesconset,” according to a press release that indicates AANP member Dr. Justin Waryold was recently recognized as the top nurse on Long Island. Congratulations Dr. Waryold!

Summer is prime time for insect bites, stings and poison ivy, according to a local news article that quotes AANP member Linda Moghalu. Several over the counter remedies were shared by Moghalu, who said, “You can put some antibiotic ointment on there and a Band-Aid and that’s really all you need to do. Some common remedies that people use are urine and meat tenderizers and those are typically not effective.”

Tips to stay safe in the summer heat were shared by AANP member Kim Glasgow on a local news station. Glasgow shared a number of ways to protect your skin from the sun and exposure to summer weather.

AANP member Lily Limon wrote an article about fitness and heat-related illness that was published by Grand Canyon University. Stay cool, keep hydrated, be informed and know who is a high risk were among the tips Limon shared.

Sunscreen related tips were provided by AANP member Rachel Talbot in a local news report. “What we worry about are skin cancers,” Talbot said. “One in five Americans will develop skin cancer sometime in their lifetime and over the age of 65 skin cancer actually becomes to most common cancer that people end up getting.”

July is Ultraviolet Safety Month, and AANP member Faith Schiltz shared tips for protecting your skin with KIWA Radio News. Wearing sunscreen daily was one of Schiltz’s recommendations.

What is a nurse practitioner? AANP member Rand Pennington wrote an article about the NP role that was published by The-Dispatch.com. Pennington wrote, “I became a nurse practitioner for many reasons. I enjoyed patient interactions but wanted to know more and build off my foundation as a registered nurse. Becoming an advanced practice nurse allowed me to learn more about disease management and gave me the ability to offer treatment for patients.”

An article about a patient with diabetes who underwent a pancreas transplant quoted AANP member Dr. Catherine Coyle, who recommended the transplant to the patient. “She had always been diligent about her self-care, which made her an excellent candidate for transplant,” Dr. Coyle said. The patient reports that her health has dramatically improved post-transplant.