Current Issue: November 2011 Vol. 15,No. 11/12
“For changing the healthcare paradigm, and for changing lives, you, Loretta C. Ford, are inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.” With those words, the founding mother of the nurse practitioner movement was acknowledged for her leadership, innovation, pioneering spirit, and sheer ... Read More
The author has identified the impoverished elderly as a vulnerable population, and discusses application of the vulnerable populations conceptual model (VPCM) to assess the risks and health status of this group. Using this model to assess the impoverished elderly can assist population-focused nurse ... Read More
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in US men and women, and a major health problem throughout the world. Conventional invasive coronary angiography (ICA) continues to be the standard modality for diagnosing CAD. With new advances in technology, computed tomography (CT) is ... Read More
Many primary-care nurse practitioners see patients with coronary artery disease and/or heart failure, some of whom may be at particular risk for sudden cardiac death. Patients with such a risk must be identified and referred for an evaluation to determine whether they are candidates for implantable ... Read More
Traditional approaches used to manage the complexities of hypertension (HTN) have achieved modest success. Most persons with HTN in the United States have blood pressure that is uncontrolled or inadequately controlled on medications, or they are unaware that they even have HTN. Because so many US ... Read More
Other Features
Nurse Practitioner Gale Adcock was re-elected to a second term on the Cary Town Council, continuing to represent one-quarter of the town’s 140,000 citizens. Adcock won with an overwhelming majority of more than 65% of the votes cast and out-raised her opponent 20-1. Her campaign message of ... Read More
What Does the Research Really Tell Us? (Part II)
Understanding research studies is one of the keys to delivering good patient care. So much of what
... Read More
Treatment Decisions in Cardiovascular Disease: Focus on Beta Blockers in Seniors
Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the leading killer of both men and women in the United
... Read MoreDear Colleagues,
Happy Holidays to everyone!We feel a special thankfulness during the holiday season for all our colleagues—authors, peer reviewers, students, preceptors, and fellow clinicians—who do their part to make health care better for all Americans. This autumn was especially gratifying because we were able to celebrate with Loretta Ford as she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Please read Phyllis Arn Zimmer’s special article about the event—Well behaved Women Don’t Make History—starting on page 8. Reading this article will make your day.
Ya gotta have heart! In this issue of The American Journal for Nurse Practitioners, we feature three articles and one column covering topics related to cardiovascular disease. These articles include 64-Slice CT Versus Coronary Angiography to Diagnose Coronary Artery Disease, by Elaine S. Marshall, Patricia Coppett Duncan, Gina Stokes Winnette, Jessica Lamb, and Misty Willis; Indications for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy, by Michelle Andrews and Melissa Williams; and Integrating a CAM Therapeutic Strategy for Hypertension, by Kikikipa Kretzer. Mary Ann E. Zagaria discusses Treatment Decisions in Cardiovascular Disease: Focus on Beta Blockers in Seniors in her Issues in Pharmacotherapy column.
Mary Atkinson Smith’s feature article, Use of the Vulnerable Populations Conceptual Model to Assess the Impoverished Elderly, is an important read for NPs. And, in his Promoting the NP Profession column, Tom Bartol asks and answers a very important question: What Does the Research Really Tell Us?
Thanks for all you do as NPs, contributors, and readers to make AJNP such a success. All of us at AJNP wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
 Charlene M. Hanson EdD, FNP-BC, FAAN |
 Donna R. Hodnicki PhD, FNP-BC, FAAN |