Fitzgerald Health Education Associates

Click to View Previous Issues... Residency & Fellowship Programs NP Residency and Fellowship Programs: Gaining Momentum THE FORMATION OF RESIDENCY AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS for NPs in the United States is slowly but steadily gaining momentum. Although postgraduate pro- grams remain relatively few, they are becoming more common, especially in community settings. Furthermore, these programs are somewhat controversial, 1 as there are calls from some entities in healthcare to make residency programs mandatory for new NPs. 2 Program Goals Residency and fellowship programs provide intensive training for both new and clinically experienced NPs. These full-time, structured, formal postgraduate pro- grams are designed to help new NPs make a smooth, successful transition from student to clinical practice, or to facilitate the transition of practicing NPs to a new clinical area. New NPs who want additional clinical education before enter- ing practice, and who are accepted to a program, have the opportunity to com- plete a 6- to 12-month residency prior to taking their first job. Fellowships are an avenue for practicing NPs who want to change disciplines or career paths, as well as for new NPs who want to follow a career path in a subspecialty area. Another primary goal of these programs is to increase the number of NPs practicing in specific clinical settings or specialty areas. In fact, the first NP residency program, started in 2007 by Margaret Flinter, PhD, APRN, C-FNP, at Community Health Centers (CHC), Inc. in Connecticut, was created not only to ease new NPs' transition to practice, but also to increase the number of family NPs in the high-intensity practice site of a federally qualified health center (FQHC). 3 Areas of Growth The CHC family NP residency program began with four NP residents and cur- rently has 10 family NPs over the course of a 12-month residency. Health centers such as CHC are one area where NP residencies are expected to grow. CHC is a FQHC; as such, they receive federal funding to provide comprehensive primary care to underserved or vulnerable populations. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 Inside Residency & Fellowship Programs ........................... 1 Certification Q&A; ............. 5 Review Courses ............... 8 Contraceptive Pearls ....... 9 News Briefs ..................... 11 Memorial ........................ 22 2015 Live Courses Clinical Update (2-day course) NP Essentials Skills and Workshop (4- or 2-day courses) Pharmacology Update (2-day course) The Art of Wound Repair (1-day course) NP Certification Exam Review Course Tracks Family, Adult-Gerontology, and Adult Primary Care Acute Care, Adult- Gerontology Acute Care Pediatric Primary Care Psychiatric & Mental Health Women's Health Click or see page 8 Look for bold orange text for clickable web links. Fitzgerald Health Education Associates fhea.com Committed to the success of nurse practitioners 1 Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. 978•794•8366 Volume 15, Issue 1, January 2015 Clinical Update Evaluating and Treating Vitamin D Deficiency Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC VITAMIN D has long been rec- ognized as essential for the ef- ficient absorption and utiliza- tion of dietary calcium as well as for bone and muscle health. 1 Intestinal calcium absorption is significantly enhanced by the presence of adequate vitamin D and is conversely reduced in deficiency of this important micronutrient. 1 During the past 15 years, research has highlighted multiple nonskeletal chronic diseases associ- ated with vitamin D deficiency, 2,3 including certain cancers, 4 cardiovascular diseases, 5,6 autoimmune diseases, 7,8 metabolic disorders, 9 and infectious dis- eases. 10 As an inhibitor of abnormal cellular growth, vitamin D is needed to help with cell differentiation and thereby minimize abnormal cell proliferation; this abnormality is a key step in cancer development. 1,4 A stimulator of insulin secretion in response to increased blood glucose, vitamin D plays a role in the maintenance of normoglycemia by possibly minimizing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. 9 Because vitamin D receptors are expressed by most cells of the immune system, vitamin D plays an important role as an immuno - modu lator. 11 When vitamin D is available in physiologic amounts, this micronu- trient acts to decrease renin production, therefore contributing to blood pres- sure control. 12 Sources of Vitamin D A combination of dietary intake of foods rich in vitamin D in addition to regular periods of skin exposure to the sun should provide the body with an adequate Inside Clinical Update ................. 1 Malpractice .................... 10 Review Courses ............. 15 Certification Q&A............; 16 Contraceptive Pearl ....... 19 News Briefs ..................... 22 2015 Live Courses NP Essentials Skills and Workshop (4- or 2-day courses) Pharmacology Update (2-day course) The Art of Wound Repair (1-day course) NP Certification Exam Review Course Tracks Family, Adult-Gerontology, and Adult Primary Care Acute Care, Adult- Gerontology Acute Care Pediatric Primary Care Psychiatric-Mental Health Women's Health Click or see page 15 Look for bold orange text for clickable web links. Fitzgerald Health Education Associates fhea.com Committed to the success of nurse practitioners 1 Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. 978•794•8366 Volume 15, Issue 2, February 2015 Clinical Update Measles: Making a Comeback Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC OUTBREAKS of vaccine-preventable diseases including measles (rubeola) are occurring with increasing frequency in the United States. In fact, the 644 measles cases reported in 27 states during 2014 is the highest number of cases reported since 2000, when the Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion (CDC) declared measles eliminated in the United States. Elimination of a disease means that there has been no endemic disease transmission for at least 12 months. Although measles is no longer endemic in the United States, outbreaks still occur each year. The ongoing multi-state measles outbreak linked to two Disney theme parks in California, which began in December 2014, shows that measles remains a threat in the Unites States despite exten- sive vaccination efforts. 1 As the incidence of measles rises, all healthcare providers must ensure they can recognize the disease and know the appropri- ate steps to manage it. How Outbreaks Occur Outbreaks of measles occur in the United States when measles is imported by unvaccinated travelers (U.S. residents traveling abroad and foreign visitors) who acquire the infection while in other countries where the disease is en- demic or where an outbreak is occurring. Measles continues to circulate in many parts of the world, with an estimated 20 million cases occurring world- wide each year. 2 Once imported into this country, measles can spread readily in communities with low measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccination rates. Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases known, with secondary attack rates >90% in susceptible household and institutional contacts. Most people who get measles are unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. For ex- ample, of the 118 measles cases reported over a 19-week period in 2011, 89% occurred in unvaccinated persons. 3 In the recent California outbreak, 45% of cases were unvaccinated and another 43% had unknown or undocumented vaccination status. 1 Inside Clinical Update ................. 1 Review Courses............... 10 Certification Q&A............; 11 Update: Immunization ... 15 News Briefs ..................... 17 Fitzgerald Faculty in the News .............................. 23 2015 Live Courses Pharmacology Update (2-day course) The Art of Wound Repair (1-day course) NP Certification Exam Review Course Tracks Family, Adult-Gerontology, and Adult Primary Care Acute Care, Adult- Gerontology Acute Care Pediatric Primary Care Psychiatric-Mental Health Women's Health Click or see page 10 Look for bold orange text for clickable web links. Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. fhea.com Committed to the success of nurse practitioners 1 Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. 978•794•8366 Volume 15, Issue 3, March 2015 Continued on page 3 February 2015 March 2015 January 2015 Look for bold orange text for clickable web links. Our "i" information icon is a clickable web link. Certification Q&A; Caring for Asian Patients: Cultural Factors That Can Influence Patient Care Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC I RECENTLY LEARNED that issues related to culture and health care are included on the exam. What are some key cultural issues pertaining to the care of Asian patients that I should know as I prepare for the exam? Asians are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States, with a population that in- creased from 11.9 million in 2000 to 17.3 million persons in 2010. 1 The largest Asian groups—Chinese, Indian, Fil- ipino, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese—account for over three-quarters of the Asian pop- ulation in the United States, and the remaining quarter is distrib- uted among 19 other detailed groups counted in the 2010 census. Asian Americans as a group are ethnically and linguistically diverse. However, individuals from the various ethnic groups can experience similar problems when accessing health care in Western health systems. Especially for first-generation immigrants, these problems are generally related to language barriers and differing styles of communicating, holistic health beliefs and practices that differ from the Western health care model, and reliance to some extent on traditional therapies. By learning about Asian cul- tures, communication patterns, and traditional health practices, NPs can better position themselves to provide culturally competent care to their Asian Inside Certification Q&A; ............. 1 Review Courses ................ 6 Malpractice ....................... 7 Update: Patient Satisfaction ...................... 13 Update: Tobacco Use...... 15 News Briefs ..................... 18 2015 Live Courses Pharmacology Update (2-day course) The Art of Wound Repair (1-day course) NP Essentials (4-day course) NP Certification Exam Review Course Tracks Family, Adult-Gerontology, and Adult Primary Care Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Pediatric Primary Care Psychiatric-Mental Health Women's Health Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. fhea.com Committed to the success of nurse practitioners 1 Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. 978•794•8366 Volume 15, Issue 4, April 2015 April 2015 Look for bold orange text for clickable web links. Our "i" information icon is a clickable web link. Certification Q&A; Caring for Asian Patients: Cultural Factors That Can Influence Patient Care Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC I RECENTLY LEARNED that issues related to culture and health care are included on the exam. What are some key cultural issues pertaining to the care of Asian patients that I should know as I prepare for the exam? Asians are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States, with a population that in- creased from 11.9 million in 2000 to 17.3 million persons in 2010. 1 The largest Asian groups—Chinese, Indian, Fil- ipino, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese—account for over three-quarters of the Asian pop- ulation in the United States, and the remaining quarter is distrib- uted among 19 other detailed groups counted in the 2010 census. Asian Americans as a group are ethnically and linguistically diverse. However, individuals from the various ethnic groups can experience similar problems when accessing health care in Western health systems. Especially for first-generation immigrants, these problems are generally related to language barriers and differing styles of communicating, holistic health beliefs and practices that differ from the Western health care model, and reliance to some extent on traditional therapies. By learning about Asian cul- tures, communication patterns, and traditional health practices, NPs can better position themselves to provide culturally competent care to their Asian Inside Certification Q&A; ............. 1 Review Courses ................ 6 Malpractice ....................... 7 Update: Patient Satisfaction ...................... 13 Update: Tobacco Use...... 15 News Briefs ..................... 18 2015 Live Courses Pharmacology Update (2-day course) The Art of Wound Repair (1-day course) NP Essentials (4-day course) NP Certification Exam Review Course Tracks Family, Adult-Gerontology, and Adult Primary Care Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Pediatric Primary Care Psychiatric-Mental Health Women's Health Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. fhea.com Committed to the success of nurse practitioners 1 Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. 978•794•8366 Volume 15, Issue 4, April 2015 May 2015

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