The time has come! I've passed boards, obtained my state license and I am scheduled to have ''temporary privileges'' at my facility next week! This is such an exciting time for my family and me! We've worked so hard for so many years and this is it. The really amusing thing? I opened the mail a couple of weeks ago when my license came through ...

If I could give any future medical student advice about the ER, my three most important words would be: Vicks Vapor Rub. When I first entered the ER, I was prepared to be jaded, but I was not prepared for the smells: abscesses, STDs, rotten teeth, body odor, mildewed t-shirts, alcoholics, chain smokers, drug-addicts, and diarrhea diapers, to ...

Last month during the lull of winter break, I had a sudden fear that I would not be able to find a job after graduation. I guess it was because of the lull, no case studies to do, clinical hours completed for the semester, and final grade deemed passing, that I had the time to contemplate a life after school. This month, as my classes resume ...

I really felt prepared. I had done a review course by a company that claims a pass rate of 99%. I had also studied a very well-known study guide, in addition to listening to 2 sets of CDs (one of them for the last year!). I then took 2 ''predictor'' examinations with decent scores that were predictive of me passing Boards. My morning was ...

Happy NP Week 2012! This year, we are recognizing nurse practitioners across the country with the AANP theme, ''Your Partner in Health.'' We'd love to know what your facility is doing to celebrate. Send your photos and stories of your festivities to kwolfgang@advanceweb.com to be featured in our Comments & Feedback column online and in print. ...

With the election just one day away, political reporting is at a fever pitch. At ADVANCE, we have compiled extensive coverage of healthcare's role in the election. If you haven't done so yet, browse our articles for some last-minute information on the candidates and more. We will also be compiling your reactions to the election results. If you'd ...

ADVANCE for NPs & PAs staff is bracing for Hurricane Sandy near Philadelphia, Pa. today, and we wish the best to all those along the East coast who are suffering from the storm's damage. Across the country, NPs and PAs are still heating up our communities with the latest in healthcare. On our article ...

Have you visited our blogs lately? Last week, new NPs and nurse veterans battled on the value of floor experience. Our NP & PA Student blogger Terry Clarke, currently enrolled in a fast track NP program, expressed his views on what experienced nurses have going for them and what they still have to learn. Here are a few of the comments your ...

Our ADVANCE for NPs & PAs community is always growing and providing better feedback every week. Our social media goal this week is to hit 2,000 fans on Facebook. We're only 28 ''likes'' away! If you're not already following us, make sure to check out our page and let us know what you think. If you are, share our page with your colleagues and ...

Last week, readers commented on two of our recent orthopedic articles. In response to ''After Your Patient's Knee Replacement,'' reader Thomas said, ''Nice article Jennifer - I had my TKR in 2010 and you described my overall experience quite well. Patients do really tend to forget that they lost their joint mobility slowly over a sustained time ...