JackStrawRN

>5 years full time, inpatient experience + minimum 1 year residency (possibly other requirements). Provide documentation of this experience + APRN license you get your name placed on a publicly accessible list for employers and patients to view. That's my solution.

I agree with separating adult and pediatric outpatient. Not so sure about Women's Health...if I have a patient that comes in with pelvic pain does that make it Women's Health? Can I perform a pap for a female patient I see for other primary care concerns? I think all programs are 1.5 years at least, right? But yes, completely agree on the residency. It seems FQHCs are leading this in outpatient settings through federal grants. Not sure how inpatient programs are funded. I disagree with prior experience quite a bit. Of course it matters how those 'years of experience' are spent -- not sure how to measure that though.

Anybody know of any groups working to advocate for stricter education and licensing requirements? Some elements that might be advocated for would include: - Increased federal dollars to fund residencies or other incentives for hospitals/clinics to develop such programs. - 5 years of full time RN work experience in a hospital related to the tract one is pursuing and/or standardized testing to measure baseline competency. - Mandatory 1 year residency or at least mandatory MD supervision before independent practice is considered w/ a certification required once independent practice is requested. - Renewal of licenses every 4 years. I would like to here opinions about items mentioned above, but more importantly, I would like to know of groups that are doing serious work to advocate for these changes. And no, I'm not an AMA 'plant'. I'm an FNP dedicated to solidifying our place in the medical field.

I haven't heard about these stories. Thanks for the heads up. I will say that I think the E-cig is impressive in that it eliminates the danger house/apartment fires. The US Fire Administration reports at least 1000 deaths due to house/apartment fires caused by "cigarettes and other smoking materials"

I haven't heard about these stories. Thanks for the heads up. I will say that I think the E-cig is impressive in that it eliminates the danger house/apartment fires. The US Fire Administration reports at least 1000 deaths due to house/apartment fires caused by "cigarettes and other smoking materials"

"I take it you've never smoked, so don't have any idea that in a smoker's mind" Smoked for 7 years. When I quit I had been smoking a pack/day for a years, and I remember quite well the smoker 'mindset'. Quit after the second attempt with Chantix. "Your friends deserve congratulations, not admonishment." I do express congratulations. Like I said, I'm happy for them , as it may help them quit altogether.

Hello everyone, So I saw this old clip today for the first time: and at the 3:23, Letterman's guest begins to suggest that nicotine is not harmful to one's health. Clearly, advocating this E-cigarette device is part of her agenda while on Letterman's show, and sadly, she sidesteps the real consequences of long term nicotine use. Before I get too rant-y, I will say that when a smoker friend of mine tells me they're switching to E-cigs I am happy for them as I feel there's a better chance for them to quit altogether. However, most of them are surprised to learn that using these devices will still lead to increased BP, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and all the other manifestations of arteriosclerosis. Usually, I just comment by saying, "It'll save your lungs but wreck your heart" Anyway, I just wanted to bring this topic to discussion. Have people on this board addressed this topic to patients, or other people in the general public? What have been their response? Do you feel most people are aware of the dangers for nicotine?

Congrats man. You're gonna be a great nurse. I'm also a nurse in recovery with a 'sordid' past. Looking back, life changes pretty quick once I made those first steps.

Hello everyone, I'm about to graduate with my BSN later this summer. As I complete this RN-to-BSN I feel empowered and ready to confront some real 'upstream' issues. Right now I'm having difficulty visualizing how I would begin a career in public health nursing. What I mean by this, is, "Who hires nurses to do public health work?" State departments, non-profits...who else? Also, what kind of things can I do now to orient myself to this type of practice? I imagine myself going to work the first day and staring blankly at the wall thinking...where do I start? Generally, I feel I'm skillful in analyzing research data, and I enjoy working with a team to develop creative interventions to real problems. It seems that these would be great characteristics to have as a PHN, but I'm just having difficulty with finding a starting point. Thanks for any help or direction ***I don't know if this is relevant, but I am a relatively new RN with 5 months on a acute psych floor, and am now currently working at a LTAC hospital.