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Advanced practice nurses are key partners in achieving health equity and are encouraged to use their advocacy skills and policy acumen in doing so. While conducting social determinants of health screenings and providing referrals are important elements in our quest to achieve health equity, meaningful advancements in this area are dependent on the enactment of public policies that yield equitable solutions.

Relaxation of existing regulations in supervision, collaboration, license renewal, and portability due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic improved practice authority for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in reduced- and restricted-practice states. This 34th Annual Legislative Update covers the scope of practice changes, and legislative and regulatory decisions that most impacted APRNs across the US in 2021.

Two years after the Florida legislature expanded APRN prescribing to include schedule II-IV drugs in 2017, we studied APRN utilization of this prescriptive authority. Study results reveal that Florida APRNs are meeting the educational requirements to prescribe and apply the use of these drugs in practice, improving patient access to care.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common and costly, with about 26 million STIs occurring each year in the US. Guidelines for the prevention and management of STIs are updated periodically. In 2021, the CDC updated its guidelines for the treatment of STIs. This article provides information on the most recent updates on managing STIs to help advanced practice nurses in their practice.

Using a convenience sampling, nurse educators representing 10 countries were surveyed to describe required clinical education for advanced practice beyond basic traditional nursing education. This article explores the many factors currently influencing the structure and diversity of these clinical experiences worldwide.

Leaving the comfort zone of being an experienced RN for a new career as an inexperienced advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) is one of the greatest difficulties of the APRN transition to practice. Although this challenge is frequently discussed in the literature, progress in creating transition programs has been slow. To date, very few formal APRN residency or fellowship transition programs exist. Practicing APRNs can advocate for a formal transition program in their organizations.

COVID-19-associated pneumonia is a complex acute care diagnosis that requires careful evaluation and management. This article includes pertinent recommendations for management of acutely ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of liver disease. The World Health Organization has called for the global elimination of HCV by 2030. NPs can significantly expand the availability of community-based providers and bridge gaps in HCV treatment to assist in eradicating this curable virus.

In a year unlike any other in recent history, healthcare workers, including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), faced challenges and triumphs as the frontline in the battle against COVID-19. This 33rd Annual Legislative Update covers the scope of practice changes and legislative decisions that most impacted APRNs across the US in 2020.

Advanced practice providers and physicians at an academic healthcare system comprising more than 15 hospitals across four US states were surveyed to identify barriers to participation in research. Overall, barriers reported by advanced practice providers and physicians were more similar than different, highlighting system-level opportunities to build research skills and accelerate academic productivity.

Community-acquired acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) can be a devastating diagnosis for any patient and can increase mortality during hospitalization. There can be long-term consequences for those who survive the initial insult. This article discusses CA-AKI and its implications for APRNs.

Workforce and reimbursement data were collected from a 2018 survey of Washington state advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs). Survey results will be used to improve workforce planning and advocate for payment parity legislation requiring health plans to pay ARNPs the same as physicians for the same service.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is proposing full-practice authority for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to improve access, care delivery, and patient choice, as well as reduce costs. The authors performed a mixed-methods assessment to obtain the perspectives of administrators and APRNs on the characterization of the APRN workforce and their present practice in the VHA.

The Annual Legislative Update discusses the legislative accomplishments in the areas of practice authority, reimbursement, and prescriptive authority that have the most impact on nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses across the country.

Guidelines for the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are updated periodically while new science is continuously developed. Advanced practice registered nurses implement clinical decisions based on current guidelines and evidence. This article provides recent updates on managing STIs.

The Annual Legislative Update describes recent legislative changes to practice, reimbursement, and prescriptive authority that have the most impact on NPs and other advanced practice nurses across the country.

A Specialized Standardized Patient (SSP) is a standardized patient who has advanced nursing education. This article describes an experience of introducing advanced practice registered nurses as SSPs into an advanced health assessment course. The article also discusses the simulated clinical experience and the desired course outcome that the student will be able to merge the patient history and physical exam findings to develop differential diagnoses.

Associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, delirium is a syndrome commonly experienced by hospitalized adults. This article presents a case study highlighting how delirium may go unrecognized by the healthcare team and provides 10 suggestions for improving delirium assessment, prevention, and management in the acute care setting.

This article describes an innovative post-master's advanced certificate in gerontology program developed by the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. The program provides advanced practice registered nurses geriatric content to meet eligibility criteria for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP certification exam and develops interprofessional care providers to care for complex older adults.

Advanced practice registered nurses must have a working knowledge of statistical principles in order to provide high-quality, evidence-based care. This article presents basic concepts of risk indexes and case study examples illustrating how these measures can inform practice.

Individuals who are given a preventive exam by a primary care provider are more likely to agree to cancer screening. The provider recommendation has been identified as the strongest factor associated with screening utilization. This article provides a framework for breast cancer risk assessment for an advanced practice registered nurse working in primary care practice.

Intrauterine device (IUD) insertions and endometrial biopsies (EMB) are common outpatient office procedures performed by advanced practice nurses. There are currently no guidelines for pain management with either IUD insertions or EMB procedures. Combination modalities are the most likely to impact pain perception, but more research is required in this area.

Cancer survivors are at risk for recurrences, new cancers, and late and long-term effects of cancer treatments. Health promotion and management of comorbid conditions remain a standard of care for cancer survivors. Nurse practitioners should collaborate with oncology specialists using a shared-care model in delivering survivorship care.

Advanced practice nurses (APNs) have a responsibility to share information from projects and research with other professionals. Poster presentations offer a way to visually share the information to a wide audience. Key elements include title, objective/purpose, data collection, results, analysis, implications for nursing, and appropriate references.

The Collaborative Health Management Model fosters teamwork between nurse practitioners and physicians based on an egalitarian partnership. It serves to operationalize the "Future of Nursing's" call for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to deliver high-quality chronic disease management using their full abilities: a unique professional lens, expertise in team-based care, and patient partnerships.

A 2014 consensus report by the Institute of Medicine offers recommendations for healthcare providers to decrease unwanted care and improve the quality of life at the end of life. This article discusses the recommendations of interest to advanced practice registered nurses.

The Annual Legislative Update describes the legislative issues that have the most impact on nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses across the country.

The endocannabinoid system is intricately involved in regulation of the neurobiological processes, which underlie the symptomatology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This article discusses the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD and the use of cannabis for treating PTSD in the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program.

Nearly half of the United States has legalized medical marijuana. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in six states can authorize patients for medical marijuana use. Knowledge of legal and regulatory aspects of medical marijuana laws will protect an APRN's license and the public.

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2012 Guidelines offer recommendations for the care of severely septic patients. These guidelines are appraised and summarized briefly in this article, and a case example illustrates the integration process. These guidelines are important for multidisciplinary team members working together toward the common goal of reducing sepsis mortality.

Early recognition of developmental delay is critical to providing comprehensive pediatric primary care. Advanced practice nurses must be aware of the guidelines for surveillance and developmental screening in children. This article discusses guidelines for screening, examples of screening tools, information for follow up, and referral for positive screenings.

DNP-prepared nurse practitioner leaders play a pivotal role in organizational change and quality improvement consistent with the IHI Triple Aim: improving quality of care, health of populations, and reducing cost. A DNP-FNP curriculum is described, designed to build students' leadership competencies for systems change in healthcare settings.

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory arthritis condition. If left untreated, patients with psoriatic arthritis may suffer pain, reduced quality of life, joint damage, and disability. Understanding clinical presentation and comorbidities of the disease, as well as current guidelines for treatment, allows the nurse practitioner to provide comprehensive care for patients.

o often, our professional meetings are mired in discussions of what practice authority nurse practitioners (NPs) don’t have and the barriers of practice that still exist. Members are given open forum to discuss and inquire about issues they would like to see addressed, which vary from state to state. The global theme that emerges during all of these sessions is that associations, organizations, and agencies are not doing enough to change the practice landscape for providers who are on the front lines. This article will highlight the practice authority of NPs across the nation, focusing on the practice authority that NPs do possess. The United States is unique in that, although advanced practice nursing (APN) varies from state to state as defined by individual state law, the national NP organizations are working every day to improve the practice of NPs nationwide. National organizations are able to impact NP practice from a global perspective and where federal policy change is required. The national organizations also remain S A comprehensive look at the legislative issues affecting advanced nursing practice

As the tides of healthcare in the United States continue to change, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are at the forefront of legislative history. This overview provides a snapshot of legislative and regulatory activity in 2014 as reported by state Boards of Nursing and nursing organizations representing APRNs.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a serious complication of critical illness that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There are no effective treatment options, so prevention, early recognition, and appropriate supportive care are essential to improve outcomes. This article provides an overview of the disorder, including current treatment considerations.

Acute bronchitis is a common respiratory infection seen in primary care settings. This article examines the current evidence for diagnosis and management of acute bronchitis in adults and provides recommendations for primary care clinical practice.

Healthcare access and delivery continues to grow in the United States as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) work through the legislative and regulatory process to enact and amend current statutes and regulations in individual states.

Ms. P is a 50-year-old, Black female diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after presenting to her primary care provider with polyuria, polydipsia, and blurry vision. She had a fasting blood glucose (BG) level of 204 mg/dL and a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) level of 7.8%. At this visit, Ms. P was given a pamphle

An integral part of an advanced practice nursing student's education is to partner with a clinical preceptor. Developing strategies to balance busy clinical practice and preceptor responsibilities can foster a positive mentoring experience.