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

The Center for Health Journalism recently published an article about the ability of NPs to solve the primary care provider shortage in the U.S. The article quoted AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick and referenced a study conducted by AANP member Dr. Hilary Barnes. The study examined the “the proportion of NPs, physicians and physician assistants in both rural and nonrural primary care practices from 2008 to 2016. By the end of that period, NPs made up more than 25 percent of providers in rural practices, up from 17.6 percent in 2008.”

Another article about the important role NPs play in delivering primary care quoted AANP Fellow Dr. Mary Jane Hanson. “The human factor is vital…,” said Hanson. “It’s important we see every patient as an individual and respect their belief system. We make it clear that we treat the patient versus just treating disease.”

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Charon Pierson, who received the The Margaret Comerford Freda Award for Editorial Leadership in Nursing Publication at the 2018 meeting of the International Academy of Nursing Editors. The award recognizes outstanding achievements or contributions by an editor in pursuit of excellence in nursing publication. Dr. Pierson was selected from a field of 12 nominees for the annual award. In presenting the award, INANE officers cited her track record of publishing in her specialty area as well as serving as journal editor, her record of consulting with schools and developing students as authors, and her active involvement and leadership in COPE, the Committee on Publication Ethics. Additional details will be shared soon.

In response to an Op-Ed, AANP member Carol Tanzio wrote a letter to the editor that was published by a local Pennsylvania newspaper. The letter defended the role of nurse practitioners and clarified several points of contention related to prescriptive authority, collaborative agreements and the prescription of controlled substances. Tanzio cited a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine with data that suggested “…NPs are more conservative in prescribing a controlled substance than their physician counterparts.”

A study conducted by AANP member Mary Pasquinelli and others found that national lung cancer screening guidelines are insufficient for minorities. The study was recently published in JAMA Oncology, and it was highlighted in The American Journal of Managed Care. Pasquinelli concluded, “Although lung cancer screening is effective, these data show that the guidelines should incorporate more expansive, risk-based screening in order to address racial disparities in lung cancer outcomes.”

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Scharmaine Lawson Baker and AANP member Dr. Jessica Harrison who were recognized by Nurse.org for their entrepreneurial efforts to redefine affordable health care. According to the article, Baker is a business owner, clinician, author, publisher and instructor. Harrison is also the owner of an NP-led practice and increases patients’ access to care through telehealth and mobile health visits.

Advanced trauma training was recently provided to National Guardsmen by AANP member Christopher Powe and the Global Training Institute (GTI). Powe is a founding partner of GTI, and according to a local news article about the training, “GTI gives the high speed and intensity that national guardsmen and others in the armed forces have to one day be prepared for. This includes everything from smoke to loud music and even surgery on cadavers in the dark.”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Paul Coyne, who was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review among the Rising Stars: 90 Health Care Leaders Under 40. Coyne co-founded Inspiren, a health care startup that created an artificial intelligence patient safety monitoring and staff engagement platform.

AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick wrote a blog for 30 Seconds about immunizations. Read Are Childhood Vaccines Helpful or Harmful? Here Are 4 Things Parents Need to Know!

Amanda Wyatt is an AANP member and clinical nurse specialist in the diabetes management program for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health working to prevent diabetes for Native Americans. A recent article in the Muskogee Phoenix reported on recent patient education efforts, and Wyatt told them, “We primarily do a lot of coaching of the patients and creating an environment for them where we monitor their physical activities, their coping skills and look at the medications they’re taking — we build a rapport with the patient. If we’re not getting good results, we take a different route.”

A free symposium on tips for advance care planning will feature AANP member Karin McDonald, a palliative care nurse practitioner. According to a press release, topics will include, “advance directives, palliative vs. hospice care, estate planning, funeral and burial options, writing your own obituary and much more.”

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Chris Winkelman, who was awarded an American Association of Critical-Care Nurses/Sigma Theta Tau Grant titled, Does Nursing Certification Contribute to Implementing Mobility Interventions? Winkelman said she will be attending the AANP National Conference in June 2019 and she “looks forward to participation by the members of AANP to help discover whether certification in a population focus at the advanced nursing practice level influences practice in intensive care units. Additional details will be shared soon.

Nearly 4,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) have come together to make a difference for their patients and profession by sharing health insights through NPInfluence, an online NP panel. NPs have unique experiences and perspectives that need to be distinguished from other health professionals and shared across the health care industry.

You can join your fellow NPs in NPInfluence, an online panel of NPs. NPInfluence is more than just a research panel; it is a platform for emphasizing the key role that NPs play in providing quality care. Your opinions matter so do not miss this opportunity to impact your patients and profession.

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Here’s How NPInfluence Works:
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Spotlight on NPs highlights exciting achievements and activities of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) members.

Forbes shared insights from a study conducted by AANP members Bernadette Fulweiler and Dr. Rita John that found mind-body practices like meditation and yoga may help teens with anxiety. The Forbes article indicated that the authors found, “A growing body of evidence supports the implementation of mind-body practices as a low-risk and cost-effective strategy in the management of adolescents with anxiety. Biofeedback, mindfulness, yoga, and hypnosis are all promising forms of mind and body practices in the battle against rising rates of adolescent anxiety. The literature supports the use of mind and body practices in the home, the classroom, and in clinical settings.” Eureka Alert also published an article about the study and highlighted the important role that NPs play in screening adolescents for anxiety and “creating a personalized plan to combat anxiety, when present.”

AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick recently wrote the following blogs for 30 Seconds:

• Shattering Myths About Nurse Practitioners: Why NPs Make Great Primary Care Providers
• The Bug Bites of Summer: 5 Insects You Should Never Ignore

AANP Fellow and recent past president Dr. Cindy Cooke told readers of 30 Seconds that there are several great reasons to opt for a staycation instead of planning a getaway. In addition to saving money, Cooke reassured readers that staycations could be a rewarding and relaxing option.

Congratulations to Sara Kavalauskas, an AANP member who was recently appointed to the American Health Council Board of Nurses. A press release about the appointment commended Kavalauskas for her “clinical proficiency and commitment to patient care during her 19 years in the healthcare industry.”

Preprocedural checklists can improve patient satisfaction in interventional radiology departments, according to a study conducted by AANP member Dr. Valerie White and published in the Journal of Radiology Nursing. Radiology Business reported that White wrote, “Workflow efficiency in interventional radiology is exceptionally challenging because of the mixture of inpatients and outpatients being scheduled throughout the day, using the same rooms, for procedures of fluctuating lengths. Efficiency is a crucial issue for revenue stream in for-profit organizations, and improved efficiency allows more procedures to be executed for the same cost in not-for-profit institutions.”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Anna Hamrick, who was recently recognized by Great 100, Inc. as a “Great 100 Nurse” for 2018. According to a press release about the honor, “A Great 100 nurse is a registered nurse who is exceptional for accomplishments in the workplace and in the community.”

Heat related illnesses are a growing concern, and AANP member Justin Shannon advised members of his community to prepare for exposure to the heat. Shannon recommended that people seek shade, when possible, and that they drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

Congratulations to AANP member Ron Byrd, who recently opened a new NP-led clinic in Arizona. Learn more.

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

“Nurse practitioners have been stepping up to keep truckers healthy and our roads safe,” according to Jennifer L.W. Fink, who recently wrote two articles that featured several AANP members and their role in performing DOT health exams for truck drivers. The articles and a new podcast, featuring AANP Fellow Wendy Paracka, were created in collaboration with Charting Nursing’s Future—a project of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action. Listen to the HealthCetera podcast. Read the articles: Nurse Practitioners Help Keep the Roads Safe–Why Not the Rails and Skies? and Nurse Practitioners Help Truckers Keep on Trucking.

NPs provide a viable health care option, AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick told WIBW News in an interview about We Choose NPs, AANP’s new public awareness campaign. “Nurse practitioners are registered nurses who then have additional education at the masters or doctoral level,” said Knestrick. “Nurse practitioners assess, we make a treatment plan, we prescribe medications, we order tests, all of those things and we also focus on prevention.” For more information about AANP’s public awareness campaign, visit wechoosenps.org.

Recent blogs by Knestrick and AANP past president Dr. Cindy Cooke include the following:

• Why Picking the Right Primary Care Provider Matters: 5 Smart Questions to Help You Make Your Choice – Joyce Knestrick
• Sick on Vacation? 4 Ways NPs Can Help Salvage Your Time Away – Joyce Knestrick
• Mental Health Stigmas Are Hurting Minorities – Joyce Knestrick
• The Bug Bites of Summer: 5 Insects You Should Never Ignore – Joyce Knestrick
• Heat Stroke: 7 Signs That Your Body Is Overheating & What to Do – Cindy Cooke

Congratulations to AANP Fellow and North Carolina House of Representatives member Gale Adcock, who recently received the American Nurses Association Barbara Thoman Curtis Award in recognition of Adcock’s decades of political work impacting policy and nursing practice.

Picture courtesy of the North Carolina Nurses Association via Twitter

Congratulations to AANP Massachusetts State Representative Dr. Nancy O’Rourke, who recently received a lifetime achievement award from the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners. O’Rourke was nominated for the honor in recognition of her outstanding career, which includes decades of clinical practice and health policy leadership to help advance the professional role and practice of nurse practitioners. Learn more about the award.

Contemporary Pediatrics recently featured an article by AANP Fellow Dr. Donna Hallas about strategic ways to avoid diagnostic errors. In addition to examining root causes, Hallas asserted that “Problem-based education is the key to prevention of diagnostic errors.” According to Hallas, “Educators must facilitate student discovery and excite students to be inquisitive, active learners searching for scientific evidence to support all decisions.”

The diagnosis of a rare tropical disease caught the attention of local news reporters, who highlighted the role AANP member Brett Auclaire and her colleague Becky Traquair played in treating the patient. The chikungunya diagnosis was the first in the U.S. this year, according to the report, and nationwide, only 114 cases were diagnosed last year. Learn more.

In a local news article, AANP member Diana Vardeman indicated that the clinic where she works reported caring for its first brown recluse spider bite victim of 2018. Vardeman said the patient knew he had been bitten by a brown recluse, and the bite “…looked like it started to get a little bit of pus which is a little bit of infection, so I started him on some antibiotics and gave him all of the precautions.” Vardeman recommended reducing spiders’ access by removing bed skirts.

AANP member Abby Gray was quoted in a local news article about a recent increase in mosquito bites and the need to protect against them to prevent exposure to West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses. “In Wyoming, the West Nile virus has been detected in every county,” Tupper said. “But then, just simple bug bites in children, who are very reactive and get swollen, have been pretty common too. Definitely more than in previous years.”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Alvin Mena Cantero, who was recently recognized by Walden University as an Alumni Ambassador. According to an article published by the university, “Cantero has traveled to India, Mexico, Egypt, Croatia, China, and Honduras to provide health care services and educate local medical professionals about health promotion and disease prevention.” He has also served as a clinical preceptor for more than 150 NP students.

Liquid facelifts, using Botox and fillers, were discussed by AANP member Jennifer Russell in an interview for a local news network. Learn more about the information she provided on nonsurgical rejuvenation options.

Good luck to AANP member Margaret Whiteman, who is competing to be on the cover of Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine. In a local news article, Whiteman indicated that she works hard to remain fit in order to be a role model to her three children.

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

In a recent article, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action is highlighting the role of NPs who are assessing the health of DOT truck drivers. Several AANP Fellows and members are mentioned in the article. A second article quoted AANP Region 11 Director Dr. Jean Aertker and CEO David Hebert. Regarding the role of NPs in performing DOT truck driver health assessments, Hebert said, “Authorizing nurse practitioners to fulfill these roles increases access to care and allows patients to select their provider of choice.”

AARP reported that AANP Fellow Dr. Elizabeth Ellis is the only primary care provider in her rural area. Read more to learn how Full Practice Authority for NPs could help improve access to care for patients.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Jaibun Earp, who is the new dean of the Abraham Bladwin Agricultural College School of Nursing and Health Sciences. “Nursing is a professional discipline that combines the art and science of caring and curing,” Earp said. “Teachers are the facilitators for the students’ learning process. Students do very well on their own but we can help them to make better decisions if we are facilitators, not just force feeding them the information.” Read the press release.

AANP Fellow Dr. Denise Coppa was quoted in an article about ways that University of Rhode Island nurse practitioner students are preparing for the future of home-based health care. According to Coppa, “A very important part of the role of a nurse practitioner is health promotion and prevention, a lot of which will be done in the home. The value of this program is showing our students that they see patients differently in home-based care.”

Listen to AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick and AANP Fellow Dr. Denise Link discuss the growing importance of the NP role. The interview was played on KJZZ radio. Knestrick had several articles published on Thrive.

• Five Reasons an NP May Be Your Ideal Pediatric Primary Care Provider
• Finding the Right Provider Can Improve Your Child’s Autism Prognosis
• Eight Hidden Signs You May Have Lyme Disease

Nurse practitioners are meeting the needs of rural veterans. Knestrick told Va.Gov, “NPs are one of the most significant factors in expanding patient access to primary, acute and specialty care, especially at a time when demand is high and physicians remain concentrated in more urban and affluent areas.”

Knestrick was also quoted in an Advance Web article about the colorectal cancer screening survey that AANP conducted in collaboration with Healthy Women and Exact Sciences. “Nurse practitioners are leaders in colorectal cancer screening, encouraging their eligible patients to be screened,” Knestrick said. “However, only two-thirds of NPs surveyed said that their patients often or always complete CRC screening, with the most common reason for non-compliance being the disruptive nature of test preparation.“

A mobile health care clinic led by AANP member Richard West provides basic medical screenings for those in need. West told local news reporters, “Every metropolitan area has people who have to fend for themselves – those who do not have the resources the average person has. Part of what Quality of Life has always done is provide, resources, direction and care for those who need it most.”

A new clinic led by AANP member Karen Fegely began with the NP doing blood work from a Kmart parking lot, according to a local news article. Fegely said, The clinic was started because there was a need for it, and because I wanted to provide a resource for people to know where to go and have their basic health needs met.” Read more to see how far Fegely has come.

Jaimy Lee, News Editor for Healthcare at LinkedIn covered the AANP 2018 National Conference in Denver and interviewed two AANP Fellows. Learn more about keynote speaker Rear Admiral Susan Orsega, who serves as assistant surgeon general and chief nurse officer of the U.S. Public Health Service. Lee also interviewed integrative health and wellness expert Dr. Deb Kiley about clinician burnout and ways to avoid it.

The American Journal of Nursing reported from the conference in Denver and interviewed Rear Admiral Susan Orsega, who “focused on the critical role of NPs in addressing health inequities,” and Dr. Joyce Knestrick, who highlighted the rapidly growing numbers of nurse practitioners.

Clinical Advisor published several articles based on their coverage of the AANP 2018 National Conference. Links to the articles are listed below, reflecting the wide variety of research presented at the conference.

• Discharge Tools, Follow-Up Calls Reduce Readmission for Congestive Heart Failure
• Preoperative Testing, Management: Addressing a Potential Hospitalist NP Gap
• Assessing a Comprehensive Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Program
• Nursing Faculty Ill Prepared to Educate Students on Transgender Patient Care
• Project ECHO: Educational Support to Improve Hepatitis Care
• Ribociclib Prolongs Progression-Free Survival in Premenopausal Breast Cancer
• Lofexidine a Non-Narcotic Option for Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
• NKTR-181 for Chronic Lower Back Pain: SUMMIT-07 Results
• Screening for Tardive Dyskinesia Associated with Antipsychotic Treatment
• Oxycodone Substitute Shows Lower Abuse Potential
• Transition to Naltrexone in Opioid Use Disorder Benefits from Psychosocial Assessment
• Demographic Insights Into Hepatitis Vaccination Practices
• Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Systems Quality Assessment
• Tiotropium Once-Daily Plus ICS Maintenance May Improve Airflow Obstruction in Adult Asthma
• Budesonide ER for Ulcerative Colitis Safe Regardless of Gender, Age
• Rifaximin May Improve Abdominal Pain Symptoms in IBS-D
• More NPs Ordering Multitarget Stool DNA Test for Colorectal Cancer Screening
• Osteoporosis Fracture Risk Awareness Lacking in Postmenopausal Women

Portland Monthly‘s Top Nurses guide highlighted the important role NPs play in solving our nation’s health care crisis and quoted AANP member Dr. Diane Solomon, who was listed among the honorees. Solomon indicated that the rising profile of NPs may indicate a shift toward relationship-based care, and she credited increased listening with greater results.

AANP member Sharon Prince was profiled in a local news article about being an NP student and transitioning into the nurse practitioner role. Prince works in a plastic surgery clinic and said, Our nurse practitioners have years of experience and extensive training to help patients achieve their non-surgical aesthetic goals. Also, they continue to research and learn about new enhancement techniques to provide the most effective surgical and non-surgical treatments for the patients.”

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

AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick, AANP Fellow Dr. Margaret Flinter and AANP member Nichole Mitchell were quoted in a Modern Healthcare article about residency programs for nurse practitioners. “We already have good outcomes to show that our current educational system has been effective,” Knestrick said. “So I’m not really sure what the benefit is for residencies.”

The Health Wagon, including AANP Fellows Dr. Teresa Gardner Tyson and Dr. Paula E.S. Hill, will be participating in a free medical, dental and vision clinic organized by Remote Area Medical in Wise County Virginia. The event is scheduled to be held July 20-22. Learn more.

AANP Fellow Dr. Thomas Mackey was quoted in an article by Healio that indicated NPs are well-positioned to improve colon cancer screening rates. The article referenced a survey conducted in collaboration with HealthyWomen, Exact Sciences and AANP. “Nurse practitioners are engaged in colorectal cancer screening,” Mackey said. “But one of the things we also found is that there needs to be in increased awareness of other options for [CRC] screening than just colonoscopy and just fecal occult blood test. Those are some opportunities that this survey brought out.”

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Dawn Garzon Maaks, who will become president of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) on July 1. According to a press release, Garzon Maaks will focus on mental health issues, including youth suicide. “The beauty of what we do as pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses is provide that developmentally grounded perspective to the care of children and families, in whatever setting they need regardless of what types of health care they need,” Garzon Maaks said.

After being a nurse for 45 years, a new NP-led clinic was recently opened by AANP member Marilyn Husby. According to an article about the opening and increased access to health care for patients, “…in 2015, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law allowing nurse practitioners the ability to operate their own clinic instead of requiring a doctor at the facility.” Husby said, “I thought, ‘You know I’ve always wanted to do that.’ With all my experiences in nursing and clinics, it would be fun to put together the clinic of my dreams.”

AANP member Dawn Nahrstedt will also be managing a new clinic that offers a variety of health care services. “What we would like to do is to serve patients who do not have a primary care provider,” Nahrstedt told reporters. “Sometimes it is very difficult to get into practices, so they can come here. We can see them over and over again and establish a relationship and treat them for chronic diseases and acute care illness, too.”

When Elizabeth Ellis, an AANP member, opened the a clinic in Texas last year, she became the first primary care provider based in the small town of Bedias in more than 80 years. “Rural health is why I became a nurse practitioner,” Ellis told AARP. “As big as Texas is, as big as our health care needs are, we need to get with the future,” she added.

Congratulations to AANP member Mike Holtz who recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the expansion of his primary care clinic. Learn more.

A local news article featured AANP member Diane Tremain, who described a recent spike in illness in the Osarks. According to Tremain, “We’ve seen an uptick in some viral illnesses,” Tremain said. “Where patients have been coming in and they have been running some fevers and feeling achy all over.”

Congratulations to AANP member Denise Buonocore, who is the new board chair of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. According to a press release, Buonocore will serve a two-year term of office.

30 Seconds blog featured several articles from AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick and Immediate Past President Dr. Cindy Cooke.

• You Have a Tick Bite, Now What? Do These 5 Things Right Now!
• Sick on Vacation – 4 Ways Nurse Practitioners Can Help Salvage Your Time Away
• Vacations Matter: Here Are 5 Reasons a Summer Vacation is Good for Your Health
• Five Get Healthy Tips for Men that Don’t Involve Sweat or the Scale
• Summer Camp Safety: 5 Ways to Help Your Kids Beat the Heat & Have Fun
• How to Treat Bee Stings: Tips to Know if that Insect Bite is an Emergency

Advance Health Care covered AANP’s new national awareness campaign and quoted Dr. Knestrick, who said,  “NPs are the provider of choice for millions of families across the United States. We conduct over one billion patient visits each year.” Read more.

NPs are less likely to prescribe unnecessary antibiotics, according to a recent study by Athena Health. “It’s really hard, particularly in primary care, to explain to patients why they shouldn’t get an antibiotic, because everybody wants a quick fix,” said Knestrick. And that’s where NPs’ training kicks in. “I try to give the patient a little bit of control with some choices,” says Knestrick. “‘So I [say], ‘We can give you some cough medicine or decongestants,’ and we talk about increasing fluids. That helps delay the person from insisting on an antibiotic. Beckers Hospital Review also reported on the study.

Research conducted by AANP member Dr. Hilary Barnes continues to reach new audiences. Consumer Affairs cited Barnes’ study in a recent article that asserted NPs are the answer to the growing health care shortage. News Medical also reported on the study.

Three pearls to keep children safe during the summer were shared by AANP member Cami Kesler. Swimming safety, sunscreen use and hydration were among Kesler’s suggestions.

An article about a hospital granting a patient’s final wish mentioned AANP member Melissa Price and detailed her role in helping to organize a wedding, complete with a wedding cake, for a dying patient.

Congratulations to AANP member Peter Oates, who was honored for his service in the LGBTQ community by Essex County New Jersey’s LGBTQ advisory board. Read more.

AANP member Jess Calohan was featured in a Health Data Management article about ways that genomic tests and medication management systems can help improve prescribing accuracy. Learn more.

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Heidi Rogers, who was appointed Director of Interprofessional Education for the University of New Mexico. “The Interprofessional Education program is collaborating on important, innovative and cool educational experiences for all our students,” Rogers said in a press release. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with faculty, staff and students from across the HSC campus to support the mission of interprofessional collaboration, as well as improved models of patient-centered care.”

What does a nurse practitioner do? AANP member Angelique Mason answered that question for readers of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Need suggestions to help you stay healthy in the heat? AANP member Kimberly Webber shared pro tips in a local news report. “Water keeps the balance of everything that we need,” said Webber. “It’s the number one part of what our body is made of, what it functions on. Water is the best thing to keep us hydrated.”

Minority health was the subject of a local news interview featuring AANP member Nyla Fleming. The discussion highlighted the Inshape Indiana Black and Minority Health Fair, which aims to increase minority awareness of diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and cancer.

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

NPs prescribe fewer unneeded antibiotics than MDs, according to findings of a study detailed in Becker’s Healthcare. NPs sampled were 4.8 percent less likely to prescribe antibiotics inappropriately than the MDs sampled, according to Beckers. The article quoted AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick, who said, “It’s really hard, particularly in primary care, to explain to patients why they shouldn’t get an antibiotic, because everybody wants a quick fix. I try to give the patient a little bit of control with some choices.”

AANP Immediate Past President Dr. Cindy Cooke shared five healthy tips for men with readers of 30 Seconds. “See a nurse practitioner” was at the top of the list.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Dawn Garzon Maaks, who will become president of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) on July 1. According to a press release, Garzon Maaks will focus on mental health issues, including youth suicide. “The beauty of what we do as pediatric-focused advanced practice registered nurses is provide that developmentally grounded perspective to the care of children and families, in whatever setting they need regardless of what types of health care they need,” Garzon Maaks said.

AANP Fellow Dr. Donald Gardenier appeared on a local news station to share details about his lecture on “The Liver: A ‘Blob’ That Runs the Body.” Gardenier educated viewers about the role of the liver and common liver diseases. He is pictured below wearing his AANP pin during the interview.

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Heidi Rogers, who was appointed Director of Interprofessional Education for the University of New Mexico. “The Interprofessional Education program is collaborating on important, innovative and cool educational experiences for all our students,” Rogers said in a press release. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with faculty, staff and students from across the HSC campus to support the mission of interprofessional collaboration, as well as improved models of patient-centered care.”

Research conducted by AANP member Dr. Hilary Barnes continues to reach new audiences. Consumer Affairs cited Barnes’ study in a recent article that asserted NPs are the answer to the growing healthcare shortage. News Medical also reported on the study.

What does a nurse practitioner do? AANP member Angelique Mason answered that question for readers of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Need suggestions to help you stay healthy in the heat? AANP member Kimberly Webber shared pro tips in a local news report. “Water keeps the balance of everything that we need,” said Webber. “It’s the number one part of what our body is made of, what it functions on. Water is the best thing to keep us hydrated.”

“I think people definitely underestimate how hot it is and how sick we can get from it,” AANP member Benjamin Pellegrin in another timely article about summer and heat related safety. “Those who are most vulnerable would be infants, children, elderly patients and those with underlying medical conditions like high blood pressure or heart disease.” Pellegrin also advised people to “Avoid physical activity during the hottest parts of the day. Save it for early morning or late afternoon. Drink plenty of fluids on a scheduled basis. Wear light fitting clothing, preferably light colors, single layers and a hat.”

Congratulations to AANP member Mike Holtz who recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the expansion of his primary care clinic. Read more.

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

In a great piece for aspiring nursing and NP students, Springer Publishing Company interviewed AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick, who shared details about her successful career, thoughts on distance learning, tips for future NPs and more.

“A staggering 60 percent of men don’t get regular health checkups and, on average, die five years earlier than their spouses,” according to AANP Immediate Past President Dr. Cindy Cooke. Read five reasons why a checkup is the best Father’s Day gift in Cooke’s blog for 30 Seconds.

Last week’s Spotlight on NPs noted that recent study conducted by AANP member Dr. Hilary Barnes, “Rural and Nonrural Primary Care Physician Practices Increasingly Rely on Nurse Practitioners,” was published by HealthAffairs. In addition to wide coverage of the study’s findings last week, Health Leaders Media reported that laws restricting NP practice do not improve care. “All that they are really doing is putting up barriers to primary care. Removing the practice restrictions can really only be a benefit,” Barnes said. The American Journal of Managed Care reported that, “between 2008 and 2016, primary care providers increasingly relied on nurse practitioners… especially in rural areas.” Fierce Healthcare also published an article about Barnes’ study.

Congratulations to AANP North Texas State Representative Dr. Christy Blanco, who is serving her second term on the Texas Nurse Practitioners Board of Directors. “There are 23 states [including D.C.] where nurse practitioners have full practice authority,” Blanco said in a local news report. “New Mexico has full practice authority, and currently there are four or five advanced practice nurses who have chosen to build their practice in New Mexico because they’re allowed to have full practice authority in New Mexico. So, El Paso is probably more disadvantaged because New Mexico attracts a lot of nurse practitioners.”

A free eye, dental and health care clinic will be held in Wise, VA, July 20-22, and AANP Fellows Dr. Teresa Gardner Tyson and Dr. Paula E.S. Hill of the Health Wagon will be participating. According to a press release, “The Health Wagon is taking appointments for up to ten children under the age of 16 who need oral surgery due to extensive dental problems.”

Kudos to AANP Fellow Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, who was selected to be a member of Women of Impact, a group of high-profile female executives representing all sectors of the healthcare industry across the United States who share the goal of realigning the healthcare system to meet the needs of all Americans. Founded in 2013, the group seeks to apply collective impact to address complex problems in healthcare and critical concerns prominent in the national conversation. Read more.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Lori Lioce, who was selected to participate in the National League for Nursing’s LEAD program. According to a press release, Dr. Lioce “has sustained scholarly contributions with over 30 international presentations and 25 publications in simulation education. She specializes in simulation operations, curriculum development and implementation, strategic planning, faculty development, simulation design, and programmatic quality improvement.”

AANP members Demetria Castrellon, Isabel Zuniga and Guillermina Nelson were featured in a local news article about University of Texas El Paso nurse practitioners who deliver comprehensive stroke care to patients. “We’re part of the only team in El Paso that provides in-house neurological care to treat even the most complex stroke cases 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” explained Zuniga. According to the report, “The [UTEP] School of Nursing’s AGACNP program is designed to train nurse practitioners to respond to patients with critical life-threatening illnesses, including cardiac arrest, respiratory failure and stroke.”

Upon her recent return from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, AANP member Col. Ramona Mulleins-Foreman presented her supervisors with the Patriotic Employer Award. According to a press release, “The Department of Defense award, given by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, is presented to individual supervisors who support soldiers through measures including flexible schedules and time off prior to and after deployment.”

“Cases of throid cancer have tripled in the last 30 years, and women are diagnosed with it three times more often than men,” according to a local news report that quoted AANP member Laura Bruser, who is a thyroid cancer survivor. Read more.

Preventing exposure to ticks and the diseases they may carry was the subject of a local news report that quoted AANP member Jeff Buntin. Regarding Lyme disease, Buntin said that “ignoring the symptoms can lead to long-term complications including severe arthritics, prolonged fatigue and potentially lead to certain types of heart disease.”

Brittany Holmes, a nurse practitioner in the Yale School of Medicine’s Genetics Department, is also an AANP member. Holmes was recently interviewed about her involvement in clinical trials for a new drug to treat phenylketonuria (PKU), a genetic disorder in which the body cannot process proteins. Holmes leads a PKU clinic at Yale.

Tips to stay safe as the temperature rises were provided by AANP member Valerie Smith in local Kentucky news. In addition to wearing light-colored clothing, staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen, Smith said, “As parents we need to watch our children. Pull them to the side, fan them, give them some cool water, give them a spray fan. That’s one way we can keep kids engaged and cooled off and not overrunning themselves.”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Alvin Mena Cantero, who was recognized as a Leadership Excellence & Development (LEAD) 2018 Award finalist in the Top Future Leader Category (35 & under). Cantero has reportedly served as a mentor for hundreds of NP students and provides care to underserved populations that include homeless veterans, and low income families.

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

A recent study conducted by AANP member Dr. Hilary Barnes, “Rural and Nonrural Primary Care Physician Practices Increasingly Rely on Nurse Practitioners,” was published by HealthAffairs. The research has been reported on widely, including an article by Bruce Japsen for Forbes. Japsen wrote, “Nurse practitioners have dramatically increased their presence as the go-to primary care providers in rural America thanks in part to regulatory changes that allow patients to more easily see these health professionals.” News Medical reported, “A key way to combat this [primary care provider] shortage is to tap highly skilled nurse practitioners (NPs), who are choosing primary care at a much higher rate than physicians.” Read additional coverage from the University of Delaware, Beckers Hospital Review, and HealthcareDive.

AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick was quoted in Japsen’s Forbes article about Barnes’ research and said, “NPs are one of the most significant factors in expanding patient access to primary, acute and specialty care, especially at a time when demand is high and physicians remain concentrated in more urban and affluent areas. This has led to NPs quickly becoming the first choice as primary care providers for thousands of people across rural as well as urban America.”

AANP Immediate Past President Dr. Cindy Cooke wrote a blog for 30 Seconds that shared seven reasons why patients are choosing NPs as their primary care providers.   Cooke wrote, “Last year, NPs treated more than a billion patients. If you’re looking for a healthy primary care alternative, a nurse practitioner may be a perfect fit!”

Congratulations to AANP member Dr. Megan Hebdon, who will receive the Virginia AANP State Award for Excellence at the AANP 2018 National Conference in Denver June 26 – July 1. In a Radford University article recognizing Hebdon’s accomplishments, Hebdon said, “I am proud to be in a profession that has a profound effect on peoples’ lives physically, mentally and emotionally.”

Several other recipients of the AANP State Award for Excellence are affiliated with the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, which is an initiative of the AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Campaign for Action recognized these outstanding NPs in a recent article, and they are listed below.

• Stephanie Ahmed, DNP, FNP-BC, Massachusetts
• Renee Dahring, MSN, APRN, CNP, Minnesota
• Lauren Inouye, RN, MPP, District of Columbia (Action Coalition leader)
• Beverly Lang, MScN, RN, ANP-BC, Maryland
• Linda Lazure, PhD, RN, FAAN, Nebraska
• Denise Link, WHNP, CNE, FAAN, FAANP Arizona
• Lucy Marion, PhD, RN, FAAN, FAANP, Georgia
• Gaylene Miller, West Virginia (AARP State Director)
• Laura Reichhardt, MS, APRN, NP-C, Hawaii (Action Coalition Leader)

Congratulations to all AANP State Award for Excellence recipients! View the full list.

Nurse practitioners are frequently recognized for saving lives while they are off duty, and AANP member Heather Orr is among those amazing NPs. According to a local news article, Orr helped save the life of a man who had a heart attack while waiting to board a flight. Orr was recently reunited with the grateful person whose life she helped save.

AANP member and recent DNP graduate Dr. Sylvia May was pictured in an article about a visit that Sen. Patty Murray made to Pacific Lutheran University after the school secured a $1.4 million grant to help improve access to care in Washington state. According to the report, “May’s culminating research focused on the statewide opioid epidemic. She will serve active duty in the Air Force, stationed in Illinois.”

Congratulations to AANP member Amy Johnson, who was recently honored by the Virginia Farm Bureau Lady Leader recognition program for her efforts to reduce injuries and promote healthy lifestyles among farmers. According to an article about Johnson, “Between treating patients, working with state legislators and talking with other rural families, Johnson spends most of her time nowadays raising awareness about farming health and safety and advocating for measures to help prevent injuries on the farm.”

AANP member Rita Curran is running for office in New York state. In local news about her efforts, Curran briefly referenced her work as an NP and experience treating patients with substance use disorder.

Heart attack symptoms may differ between men and women, according to a public education piece that quoted AANP member Shakira Tate. Women may experience atypical symptoms, according to Tate; “Not so much the crushing chest pain, but maybe the back pain, shortness of breath is fairly common in women, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, dizziness.”

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

AANP President Dr. Joyce Knestrick wrote a blog for 30 Seconds that explained eight things people may not know about skin cancer. According to Knestrick, melanoma can be genetic, and early detection is the key to ensuring positive outcomes. Read six more things you should know.

Congratulations to AANP Fellow Dr. Rene Love and the University of Arizona College of Nursing for receiving a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program. The grant will fund a new program to “increase the number of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners in rural, border and medically under-served communities.” Dr. Love is quoted in a press release about the award.

AANP Fellow Capt. James Dickens was quoted in a Minority Nurse article that listed multiple reasons why now is a great time to consider being a nurse. According to Dickens, “The nursing profession is so dynamic, and nurses along with their patients and stakeholders are moving at light speed to eliminate artificial barriers to create a more inclusive, collaborative, collegial work environment without professional constraints or perceived glass ceilings.” Read more.

A new nonprofit established to offer support for teens who are struggling with suicide was co-founded by AANP member Michelle Chavez, who lost her son to suicide. According to a local news report, therapy options will include “working with horses and growing gardens, both of which promote responsibility, calmness and communication.” Chavez said, “We want this to be a place that feels like home to them, to know they are going to be safe, and they can form these bonds.”

AANP member Catherine Kay was mentioned in an article about a peacock festival that was held to raise money for children in Kenya. Proceeds went to support the Jesse Kay Children’s Hospital, named after Kay’s son, and Happy Life Home for Abandoned Babies, a nonprofit serving needy children in Kenya.

Alaska will use marijuana tax money to help prevent underage use, according to a local news article. The bill, sponsored by Alaska state Senator and AANP member Cathy Giessel, “calls for a five-component marijuana education and treatment program.” Learn more.

AANP member Capt. Jeree Milam wrote an article about why she serves that was published by the Rivard Report. According to Milam, “ I wanted to serve my country and care for our military members. From a young age I felt a sense of obligation and duty to my country and fellow Americans. It has always been a dream and goal of mine to join the military…”