3 Conferences Nurse Practitioners Should Attend in 2012

Posted on February 10, 2012 by brandi

What do you get when you combine stunning scenery, sun, surf, sand, fun and excitement with the best continuing education and collegial networking in nursing?

Three of the best Nurse Practitioner conferences coming up in 2012!

Within each of them, you’ll find many opportunities to connect with other NPs, improve your clinical skills, build your practice, and learn about current national, state and local legislative, regulatory and practice issues affecting nurse practitioners and have a great time doing it.  

But you’ll want to hurry…deadlines for early registration is quickly approaching.

I guarantee, it will be the highlight of your year.

1. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 27th National Conference in sunny Orlando Florida, June 20-24, 2012. This is the premier annual nurse practitioner conference, you do not want to miss. The theme, Your Patient’s Health Starts with You, will offer over 100 presentations, seminars and workshops by leading expert speakers (can you say, Margaret A. Fitzgerald?) who’s topics will include:

Enhancing Your Patients Health and Well-Being at Each Stage of Change

Be the Best You Can Be: Take Charge of your Professional Health

Achieving NP Full Scope of Practice

The Five Keys to Best Health

To register, visit the AANP. A discounted fee is offered for AANP members and for New NP graduates who have graduated from an entry-level NP program within the last twelve months.

2.  The 2012 National Nurse Practitioner Symposium July 12-15, 2012, in beautiful Copper Mountain Colorado. This 4-day symposium held within the beautiful moutains of Colorado, will include more than 100 sessions and workshops in acute care, family health, pediatrics, women’s health, and ethics, legal and policy, presented by well-known expert speakers, including Carolyn Buppert, CRNP, JD, and Eileen O’Grady, PhD, RN, ANP-BC.

To register, visit NPSymposium. Discounts available for students and registration before May 1, 2012.

3. The California Association for Nurse Practitioners 35th Annual Educational Conference March 21-25, at the Renaissance Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California. Held in another beautiful location with a full lineup of top-notch speakers, including Dr. Ernie Bodai who helped raised over $73 million for breast cancer research by convincing Congress to issue the Breast Cancer Research Stamp, the CANP 2012 will not disappoint.

Popular topics include:

Does the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Change Clinical Practice?

Legislative Strategies; Momentum to Drive “Audacious” Policy Change

Different Perspectives in Starting Your Own Practice, Clinically & Legally

Innovative Model of Health Care Delivery by Nurse Practitioners in the Emergency Department

To register online, visit CANP.  Save $100 off registration before February 21, 2012.

 

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Let Nurses Practice! Nurse Practitioners Fight to Remove Barriers

Posted on February 3, 2012 by brandi

Let nurses practice!

Nothing frustrates me more as an NP than the variability of nurse practitioner rules and legislation from state-to-state.

Every state should be the same.

In headline news this week, nurse practitioners in Missouri are pushing for more autonomy, arguing that the existing law, requiring physician collaboration, are “preventing them from providing the best possible care to their patients.” Read the full story here.

Case in point. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia do not require advanced-practice nurses to have a supervisory relationship with another health care provider.

Why does Missouri?

This is a critical matter in Missouri, where 109 of the state’s 114 counties are designated as health care provider shortage areas by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Barriers to NP practice autonomy in states like Missouri perpetuate some of the nation’s worst healthcare problems: access, quality of care, and affordability.

Missouri lawmakers agree.

Two bills brought before the Missouri State Legislature, House Bill 1371 and Senate Bill 679, would remove limits on nurses’ ability to practice, allowing nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists to prescribe controlled substances, give orders to respiratory therapists and allow them to be reimbursed for care by Missouri’s Medicaid program.

Those who oppose such legislation argue for the safety of consumers.

There is no basis for this argument.

In reality, it is unsafe is not being able to provide the best possible care to patients.

The fact is, in those states in which NPs are practicing autonomously, their safety ratios are 23 times better than those for physicians in the same states.1

“NPs must use malpractice and malfeasance ratios and figures to show legislators that the rationale for physician supervision over NPs is unfounded.”1

NPs  have earned patient’s trust and are the key to solving our nation’s healthcare crisis.

We must continue to fight to remove barriers to fully autonomous NP practice.

Lawmakers, let nurses practice!

Help support Missouri’s bill to remove barriers to full autonomy for advanced practice nurses. Send a message directly to your legislator through the AANP Advocacy Center.

1. The Pearson Report. 2012. A National Overview of Nurse Practitioner Legislation and Healthcare Issues. www.webNPonline.com.

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Nursing Nightmare! How to Deal With Unruly Patients

Posted on January 26, 2012 by brandi

If you’ve been a nurse long enough you’ve had to deal with unruly patients.

Patients who are difficult, demanding, easily angered, impatient, manipulative, noncompliant, unreasonable ____ (fill in the blank).

As an NP, I’ve had my fair share of unruly patients lash out at me in moments of frustration and disappointment.

This can be tough when you feel criticized when all you’re trying to do is help your patient.

I know how this feels firsthand.

Once, I had a such a negative encounter with a patient that I told the scheduler not to book them with me again. EVER.

Maybe this wasn’t the best way to respond and usually, I’m able to turn the most unruly patients around.

But not this time.

I felt disrespected….and hurt.

I’m human, after all.

But, I broke a cardinal rule in the patient-nurse relationship.

I took it personally.

So, what do you do in these situations, instead?

Our formal training hardly prepares us to deal with unruly patients.

After my “nightmare” patient encounter, I started searching for advice/tools that would help me deal more effectively with unruly patients. While there are many approaches and each situation is different, perhaps what I learned will help you the next time you have a difficult patient encounter.

First & foremost, try not to take it personally when patients criticize or lash out in anger.

Usually, it’s not about you.

Often, there is more going on beneath the surface; a long wait to see you, stress at home, frustration, fear, & sadness about their diagnosis, not feeling heard by health care providers in the past, etc.

Instead, incorporate empathy by imagining how the patient might be feeling, suggests Edward Leigh, Founder & Director at Center for Healthcare Communication.

Next, state your perception of the patient’s feeling, Leigh suggests. “Reflect back with a feeling word or phrase. Once you have found the word you think fits best, incorporate it to a sentence. Here are some sentence beginnings to get you thinking:”

“Sounds like you are…”
“I imagine that must be…”
“I can understand that must make you feel…”

Finally, take time and listen. Effective communication is the key to dealing with unruly patients. Maybe you’re the first person who’s taken the time to listen. It is not uncommon for me to hear this from patients who’ve seen other providers.

Do this and you’ll lower your risk of malpractice.

Patients don’t like feeling rushed or ignored by physicians and nurses who are “too busy” to sit down, listen attentively, and respond to their questions and may set themselves up for problems, such as a lawsuit, down the road, says Leigh. Breakdown in communication between NPs, nurses and patients “fuel distrust and pent-up anger” and patients who are unhappy with their health care provider are more likely to sue.

For more information on effective patient communication, read Great Communication Skills = Lower Risk of Malpractice and Get the Message! 8 Ways to Dramatically Enhance Your Listening Skills

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10 Books Every Nurse Practitioner Should Have

Posted on January 19, 2012 by brandi

Books are every NP’s lifeline.

If you’re a nurse practitioner student, you’re probably overwhelmed with the amount of information you’re learning in class, in clinical, and from all those books!

It can be a love-hate relationship when you’re short on time but need those books to teach and help you succeed.

If you’re a nurse practitioner in practice, especially a new one, you too need quick access to quality, concise, information to make the best clinical decisions every day.

Your education never ends.

Everyday, as an FNP, I look to my books to teach and sharpen me.

Although, more and more textbooks are going digital, I have my favorites I affectionately pull from my shelf.

Whatever format you prefer, it is important to have a core list of reference books you can rely on as a student and nurse practitioner.

Here are 10 books I believe every nurse practitioner should have.

1. Nurse Practitioner’s Business Practice And Legal Guide A must-have resource for every new or current Nurse Practitioner (NP). It defines what an NP is and does, while explaining their legal scope of practice within specific state and federal regulations.

2. Zitelli, Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis The go-to reference for pediatric diagnoses. More than 3,400 hundred illustrations-3,000 in full color-capture the full range of gross anatomic signs as well as laboratory and radiologic findings for hundreds of pediatric disorders. Plus, the 5th edition includes online access with downloadable pictures for electronic presentations. The 6th edition will be released in April 2012.

3. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology: With Online Access No library should be without this classic. Guyton had a gift for explaining complex ideas so they made sense to students. I refer to it almost daily in practice.

4. Family Practice Guidelines, Second Edition A comprehensive resource for NPs, presents current national standard of care guidelines for practice and select 2011 guidelines.

5. Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia 2012 Classic Shirt-Pocket Edition The quickest, most concise drug reference book you’ll find. Quicker to use than a mobile app!

6. Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2012: 5 Books in 1, Expert Consult – Online and Print An invaluable resource for nurse practitioners & students. Combines state-of-the-art information on over 700 medical disorders in a user-friendly format. Evaluates all evidence-based treatment on rating system.

7. Fitzpatrick’s Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology: Sixth Edition With 1500 high-quality full-color images covering skin lesions and disorders of the hair, nail, and mucosa, Fitzpatrick’s is the clinical reference for skin diseases.

8. The Harriet Lane Handbook: Mobile Medicine Series, Expert Consult Fast, accurate information on pediatric diagnosis and treatment written by experts at Johns Hopkins University. This pocket handbook is the first go-to for all nurse practitioners who treat children.

9. Clinician’s Guide to Laboratory Medicine: Pocket The only book that walks you from abnormal lab test to diagnosis through a series of steps.

10. The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2011 The gold standard for all antimicrobial treatment.

These books can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com and in online digital formats through http://expertconsult.com and http://www.mdconsult.com.

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5 Most Inspirational Nurses in the News

Posted on January 17, 2012 by brandi

Who inspired you to become a nurse or nurse practitioner?

Chances are it was another nurse or NP who modeled exemplary care, compassion, leadership and passion in their roles advocating and caring for patients.

For me, it was my aunt, who worked over 25 years as an OR nurse. Later, in the early 90’s, I was inspired to pursue higher education in nursing by my mentors at the City of Hope National Medical Center, Dr. Betty Ferrell and Dr. Marcia Grant, who dedicated their lives to studying and improving patient quality of life

Today, I still look to my colleagues, who inspire me to pursue education and excellence in nursing and patient care.

There’s no need to look further than the internet or newspaper to find many inspirational nurses in the news.

Here are just 5 of the most influential nurses making headlines today.

If you know an inspirational nurse, I would love to hear about them.

1. Dr. Loretta Ford, PNP, FAANP, co-founder of the nurse practitioner education program in 1965, Ford was recently inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame for her work, which has led to more than 140,000 nurse practitioners in the U.S. who have the ability to assess, diagnose, treat and evaluate. Read more about Ford’s life and career.

2. Lt. Col. Sandra McNaughton, FNP, an Army family nurse practitioner, helped care for Afghan women and children at more than 30 locations in their country. “They never had care in their lives,” she said in a recent interview for The Courier-Journal.com. “Many patients had to travel long distances and brave threats from the Taliban.” Read the full story in The Courier-Journal.

3. Robert D. Donaldson, NP-C, clinical director of emergency medicine and president of the hospital’s medical staff at Ellenville Regional Hospital in upstate New York was selected as one of the top 20 Health Leaders of 2011 by Health Leaders Media. If that isn’t enough, Donaldson is a “volunteer pilot for an organization that helps transport patients to hospitals, using his own six-seater Cessna 210.” Read Donaldson’s full interview with HealthLeaders Media.

4. Allison Batson, RN, transplant nurse at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, went above and beyond the call of duty by donating one of her kidneys to a patient earlier this month. When asked why she would risk her life for a stranger she said she “hopes her story will make others aware of living donations.” Read the full story in the Los Angeles Times.

5. Lillie Shockney, RN, 2011 recipient of the Johnson & Johnson Amazing Nurse Award, her 40th award, Shockney is a two-time breast cancer survivor and administrative director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center who has has worked tirelessly to improve the care of breast cancer patients around the world. In addition, she is a published author and nationally recognized public speaker on the subject of breast cancer. She has written 13 books and more than 200 articles. Read more about Shockney’s life and career.

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8 Tips That Will Make You A Better Nurse Practitioner

Posted on January 16, 2012 by brandi

Are you on top of your game?

Recently, I was talking to an NP and friend whom I admire for being the best at what she does.

“How do you do it?” I asked.

“How do you stay on top of your game after 10 years in practice?”

“There’s no secret. I’m always learning and looking for ways to improve,” she replied. “My patients want and deserve
the best from me and I don’t want to disappoint them.”

That got me thinking.

Whether you’re a new nurse practitioner or a veteran, becoming better at what you do every day is essential to providing excellent patient care.

So, if you’d like to up your game, here are 10 tips that will help get you there.

1. Join a local and/or national NP group or association such as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). It is their mission to promote excellence in NP practice, education and research.

2. Become board-certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). This will not only increase your earning potential but ensures that you continually meet the standards of practice.

3. Attend a national conference. Not only with this provide opportunities for networking, it provides current, practical, and clinically oriented practice information for NPs in every specialty. Check out annual conferences held by American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP),  The National Nurse Practitioner Symposium, and Nurse Practitioners in Women’s HealthCare Conference.

4. Invest in an ipad or smart phone. Not only are they great teaching tools for patients, apps such as AHRQ ePSS, designed by the US Department of Health and Human Services to assist primary care clinicians in identifying what screening, counseling, and preventive services are appropriate for their patients, and MedPage Today, which brings “breaking medical news into practice,” can really expand your knowledge base and save you time .

5. Use 3-D video animation to educate and motivate patients. Patient compliance is key to your success as an NP. You know the saying; we only remember 20% of what we hear. Empower patients to better understand and manage their health with help of interactive video animation. My favorite is TheVisualMD.com, which uses breathtaking video animation of the human body to help patients “understand, prevent and live.”

6. Keep up to date on new developments in drug therapy. I highly recommend monthly updates from The Prescriber’s Letter. The Prescriber’s Letter is totally independent, and has no connection with any pharmaceutical firm so it is completely objective.

7. Follow evidence-based guidelines. Are you sure that z-pack is the best choice for your patient with strep pharyngitis or are you just following the crowd? Providing the best care requires providing treatment recommendations based on the best medical evidence. Find evidence-based guidelines through UpToDate and the National Guideline Clearinghouse.

8. Find a mentor who can provide wisdom, guidance and advice. Search for a good mentor in your current practice, your local NP group/association, school of nursing, or the FAANP Mentorship Program.

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Top 4 Nurse Practitioner Specialties for 2012

Posted on January 2, 2012 by brandi

While most family nurse practitioners are groomed for primary care, not all NPs want to be limited to primary care.

I remember the day I decided leave primary care to specialize in holistic health & wellness.

I was writing a prescription for a 45 year old obese patient with uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease, when he asked, “What’s wrong with me? How come I’m not getting better?”

I’d been studying integrative medicine and reading the research on using lifestyle medicine for reversing chronic disease and was very impressed. I knew I could make a bigger impact.

Today, I get to live and work with my passion. I am a holistic health & wellness family nurse practitioner within a busy family practice. When physicians need help turning patients’ health around, they turn to me. Part detective, educator and counselor, I have more time to listen to patients and help them reach their goals through lifestyle medicine.

What about you?

Have you thought about expanding your clinical skills and expertise to enhance the quality of life of your patients?

Are you interested in increasing your revenue in a niche practice? Continue reading →

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5 Reasons Family Nurse Practitioners Are In Demand

Posted on December 15, 2011 by brandi

Nurses, it’s time to strike while the iron is hot!

There is no better time than now to become a family nurse practitioner. 

With an increasing demand for quality, affordable, accessible health care, a new national health care system in 2014, aging baby-boomers, and an increasing shortage of primary care physicians, the need for FNPs has never been greater.

Every road paved before us. Every barrier removed, has provided today’s family nurse practitioner more opportunities, autonomy, and public acceptance than ever before. 

Still not convinced that now is the time to become an FNP?  

Here are  5 compelling reasons FNPs are in big demand. Continue reading →

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Why Do You Want to be a Family Nurse Practitioner?

Posted on December 6, 2011 by brandi

Why do you want to be an FNP? I always ask this question of nurse practitioner students and colleagues who tell me they want to become a family nurse practitioner.

Their reasons aren’t always compelling. “I think it will be less demanding,” “I’d really like to work with pregnant teens,” or “I think it will give me more opportunities.”

“No, why do you really want to become an FNP?” I am looking for passion, conviction and a vision.

For me, 8 years ago, working in outpatient oncology, I remember growing tired of calling the physician every time a patient needed Tylenol or a laxative. I wanted to use my brain and have more autonomy. I wanted to work 9-5 so I could spend more time with my children.

Looking back now, I realize that I really had no idea or vision for becoming an FNP.
When I graduated and passed my boards, I took my first job working in a clinic. I enjoyed helping patients in my new role but soon realized I wanted to be more than an extension of the physician. Patients wanted more too. For the first time, I looked deep within and found my “why.”
Continue reading →

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Online FNP Welcomes Family Nurse Practitioner, Online Faculty Member and Award Winning Author Brandi Funk As New Site Blogger!

Posted on November 29, 2011 by admin

Brandi Funk is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and a healthcare industry expert with 20 years of experience working in hospital, private practice, retail clinic, and research settings. She is a faculty member at Azusa Pacific University, school of nursing and owner of BodyBalance Holistic Health Solutions. Her mission and passion is to help others achieve optimum health through lifestyle medicine and lower health care costs in America. She is the award winning author of “Cut Your Health Care Costs Now!” an American’s guide to finding affordable healthcare.

Once a week, Brandi will be writing about career and education tips for aspiring family nurse practitioners. This blog is intended for students and early-career FNP’s, although many topics will be of interest to all healthcare workers! You can find our latest blog posts on our Twitter page, http://twitter.com/#!/onlinefnp. Be sure to follow us to receive the latest posts and to ask questions about online FNP programs. As always, we aim to be the #1 resource on the web for aspiring family nurse practitioners.

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