Experts

Both current and aspiring advanced practice nurses can benefit from the advice of seasoned professionals. Through interviews and expert-written content from professors, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and other APRNs, discover what to expect from various career paths, including information about job challenges and state practice authority laws.

Ask a Professor: The Fight for Full Practice Authority in Illinois

January 17, 2024 – Matt Zbrog

The US is headed towards a healthcare crunch, with Baby Boomers retiring faster than medical schools can graduate an adequate number of physicians. The need for qualified healthcare professionals is acute and increasing. Nurse practitioners (NPs) could play a prominent role in meeting that need.

An NP’s Perspective: How Nurse Practitioners Can Decrease Healthcare Costs

January 4, 2024 – Sophia Khawly, MSN

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, nurse practitioners are a proven answer to the evolving movement towards preventative health care and wellness. Evidence has proven that NPs consistently provide cost-effective, high-quality care to patients. This has been exhibited in various healthcare settings, such as primary care, acute care, and long-term care.

Can Nurse Practitioners Prescribe Medicines? What to Know

December 7, 2023 – Matt Zbrog

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are an essential component of the American healthcare system. They provide high-quality, cost-effective care and significantly increase healthcare access, particularly in rural and underserved areas. But in many states, NPs face obtuse and outdated regulations that inhibit their ability to prescribe certain medicines, devices, and services to their patients.

NC-SARA and Online Nurse Practitioner Programs: What to Know

December 1, 2023 – Kimmy Gustafson

Standardizing education to ensure a minimum level of quality has been a huge problem as the number of institutions offering higher education increases. Over the past decade, institutions have been in the news for scamming students with programs that provide little value and saddle them with costly loans. Thankfully, several public and nonprofit organizations are established to help regulate higher education.

APRNs in Retail-Based Clinics – What to Know

November 30, 2023 – Nina Chamlou

Retail-based clinics (also known as convenient care clinics, retail clinics, and limited services clinics) provide basic care services in pharmacies, grocery stores, and “big box” stores, such as Target and Walmart.

A Guide to Malpractice Insurance for NPs

November 13, 2023 – Matt Zbrog

Malpractice insurance, also known as professional liability insurance, does just that: it protects NPs from the costs associated with claims of negligence or incompetence, including costs related to liability and legal defense. As the role and responsibility of NPs continue to increase, it’s essential that NPs be adequately covered.

A Guide to Electronic Health Records for Nurse Practitioners

November 3, 2023 – Sophia Khawly, MSN

EHRs have become an indispensable tool in today’s healthcare practice. The benefit of an EHR is not only in the data it contains but how it is shared. Health information has become instantly available to authorized clinicians across health organizations, allowing them to coordinate care efficiently.

Workplace Violence in Nursing on the Rise

October 20, 2023 – Kimmy Gustafson

Workplace violence and aggression are increasingly becoming an issue in the healthcare industry. Nurses, a vital component of the healthcare system, are particularly at risk when it comes to verbal or physical abuse from either patients or family members. The National Nurses United’s (NNU) 2022 survey of 2,500 nurses found that nearly half of respondents reported increased workplace violence.

What is the APRN Compact for Multistate Licensure? Challenges & Opportunities

October 4, 2023 – Kimmy Gustafson

The key benefits listed for the APRN compact include easier access to care, the ability to provide telehealth services, ease in providing disaster and pandemic relief, flexibility for military families, simpler online nursing education, and a lower cost since APRNs need to maintain only one license.

Prescribing Controlled Substances – What to Know

September 22, 2023 – Sophia Khawly, MSN

In their practice, NPs should create a controlled substance agreement and implement it with their patients receiving these medications. They should also utilize the PDMP of their state before each prescription, and order urine drug screens routinely. Lastly, NPs ought to e-prescribe controlled medications to prevent fraud.