In discussion with a colleague, we came to an impasse. Both of our viewpoints were opinion based; neither of us was willing to sway. She ended our exchange by saying, ''This is why you are going to die old and alone.'' I know this to be a joke of affection, but also a reference to one of the things we, as a culture, fear most. What brings this ...

On Facebook this week, we shared some photos from the AAPA IMPACT 2012 conference in Toronto. Our fans loved to ''meet'' NP &PA Student Blog blogger Caroline Pilgrim, a first-time AAPA conference attendee. Caroline wrote about her experience at the conference and shared some of her own great photos in her blog post this week. Did you ...

The first full week of June has been an exciting one for NPs and PAs! Across our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages, readers weighed in on the top issues. On Facebook this week, we discussed the recent DNP Answers blog post ''Time Management for a DNP Degree.'' Blogger Lisa Chism, NP, explained the difficulties of balancing DNP ...

Finding a preceptor was one of the most difficult things I have had to do thus far on my journey to becoming a family nurse practitioner. I believe what made this so difficult is dealing with the rejection - and sometimes rudeness - that I encountered. I also felt helpless, since this is the only part of my education that is out of my control. I ...

We sat in silence for what seemed an eternity. Her face was still, and she was holding back tears. She was uncomfortable. I was, too. Awkward silence engulfed us like dense, heavy fog. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. I tried filling the air with chatter: ''Nice shoes,'' I said. What's the meaning of silence? Is it just an empty space ...

Readers of ADVANCE for NPs & PAs are getting involved by making their voices heard on our site and via social media. This week, several readers commented on articles and on blog posts. On the article, ''What NP Graduates Need to Know About Certification,'' questions are coming in about maintaining certification. Author Susan Hellier responded ...

Every student nurse knows that clinical rotations are a hit or miss experience. There are so many factors that cannot be controlled on a hospital floor - the patient assignment, the nurse you are shadowing. You can go a whole day with nothing much happening. Yet, there are still a smug few who always have some riveting story to tell at post ...

If you're not chatting with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, ''like'', ''follow'' and ''connect'' with us and start sharing in the conversations! If you are, keep following and spread the word! This week, our social media sites exploded with great comments from our readers. Here are some of the highlights, copied verbatim and without ...

If you're not chatting with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, ''like'', ''follow'' and ''connect'' with us and start sharing in the conversations! If you are, keep following and spread the word! This week, our social media sites exploded with great comments from our readers. Here are some of the highlights, copied verbatim and without ...

When I became an NP student, there was no making a couple of adjustments to create a serene and everlasting balance between school and all the other things I have going on in my life. Instead, finding balance has been an ongoing, everyday process. It is often downright exhausting and many times I feel it's never completely achieved. There are ...