Past Issue: May 2011 Vol. 15, No. 5
Probiotics—live micro-organisms thought to be healthful for the host organism—are a complementary therapy used to improve intestinal microbial balance, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of pathogens and toxin-producing bacteria. In particular, the benefits of probiotics are being studied in treating… Read More
Many adolescents who go on to commit suicide sought general health care from a primary care practitioner (PCP) within the previous month. However, as outpatients in primary care settings, few adolescents are screened for suicide risk. The literature suggests that early screening for suicide risk in adolescents… Read More
Vertigo is a common complaint that is challenging to diagnose and manage. Until a proper diagnosis is made, patients may experience symptoms for weeks to months, adversely affecting quality of life. Primary care nurse practitioners can play a major role in minimizing these patients’ suffering, sick… Read More
There is still time to start participating in the 2010 Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program (eRx) and potentially qualify to receive a full-year incentive payment for 2011. In addition, beginning in 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will apply payment adjustments to eligible professionals… Read More
Other Features
To borrow from Mark Twain’s famous quote: “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” We would like to clear up any confusion and reconfirm that the National Nurse Practitioner Symposium is indeed taking place. The University of Colorado College of Nursing did announce last year that… Read More
Unity is Just Good Business
Since it is customary for nurse practitioners (NPs) to encourage each other in the workplace,
... Read MoreFrom the Editorial Co-Directors
Dear Colleagues,
We recently returned from the annual National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We were so excited about and rejuvenated by all the favorable changes taking place for NPs that we left the meeting feeling renewed and ready to push onward. The sessions were notable for the continued development of the DNP as the terminal degree for members of our profession; for the great forward momentum by the LACE group, who are striving to implement the Consensus Model for NP Regulation across all states; and for the strong recommendations put forth by the Institute of Medicine and the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation calling for full scope of practice for NPs.
While all of this is heady stuff, it will be on the shoulders of NP clinicians and NP faculty and students to carry the day. We encourage all of you to access materials about these issues online, get up to speed on the facts, and do your part to support continued forward motion. These are good times for the NP movement in terms of improving patient outcomes and being recognized for our contributions to health care in this country.
For your clinical enlightenment, we offer these articles: Use of Probiotics to Prevent Clostridium difficile-associated Diarrhea, by Katherine Marie Sluder; Otologic Vertigo: A Primer for Primary Care, by Susan Berg; and Prevention Measures for Adolescent Suicide: An Evidence-based Review, by Ali M. Shropshire and Kathy Thornton. We also present three columns, including the brand-new Dermatology: More Than Just Skin Deep, by Nicole Neibaur. In this inaugural column, Nicole discusses selected dermatologic manifestations of diabetes mellitus. In Promoting the NP Profession, Tom Bartol distinguishes between relative risk and absolute risk, and discusses their relationship to clinical significance. In Issues in Pharmacotherapy, Mary Ann E. Zagaria writes about herpes zoster, both how to treat it and how to prevent it.
Please enjoy this May 2011 Online issue of The American Journal for Nurse Practitioners, and help us realize our potential as healthcare practitioners in this great country of ours. Thank you for all that you do!
 Charlene M. Hanson EdD, FNP-BC, FAAN |
 Donna R. Hodnicki PhD, FNP-BC, FAAN |