Conference on prescribing medications tailored for advanced practice nurses

Conference on prescribing medications tailored for advanced practice nurses

Members of the APN Pharmacology Steering Committee, from left, Teresa Hills, ACNP-BC, CNRN, Elizabeth Sushereba, CNM, Denise French, GCNS-BC, Deanna Benner, WHNP, Marilyn Bartley, Trauma APN, and Anissa Painter, Executive Assistant. Missing are Linda Laskowski Jones, ACNS-BC, CEN, Susan Hutchinson, NP, and Chris Roe, ACNP.
Members of the APN Pharmacology Steering Committee: Teresa Hills, ACNP-BC, CNRN, Elizabeth Sushereba, CNM, Denise French, GCNS-BC, Deanna Benner, WHNP, Marilyn Bartley, Trauma APN, and Anissa Painter, executive assistant. Not in the photo are Linda Laskowski Jones, ACNS-BC, CEN, Susan Hutchinson, NP, and Chris Roe, ACNP.

Advanced practice nurses (APN) play an increasingly important role in patient care, especially in women’s health, acute care and primary care. That includes prescribing medications.

At Christiana Care’s first APN Pharmacology Update in March, 165 APNs earned credits required for state licensing and learned more about regulations and practices in writing prescription medications.

Topics included medications used to manage pain and menopause, as well as in-depth information on anticoagulants, antibiotics, contraception and medications used to treat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). APNs also learned more about insulin therapy for diabetes.

“We focused on the topics that are most relevant to ways APNs prescribe medications,” says Denise French, who co-chairs Christiana Care’s APN Council Steering Committee with Deanna Benner, WHNP. “Ongoing education is an essential part of providing quality care, and the APNs were enthusiastic about this opportunity to learn more.”

“Advanced practice nurse” is an umbrella term that includes nurse practitioners (NP), clinical nurse specialists (CNS), certified nurse-midwives (CNM) and nurse anesthetists (CRNA). All are registered nurses with advanced training and education. Mandatory ongoing education is required to be certified.

With a shortage of primary-care physicians, APNs are helping to fill the void by providing patients with expert wellness and preventative care, as well as care for acute illnesses and chronic conditions.

The next conference is scheduled for March 28, 2014.

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