So I go from working part-time as a nurse to not really working and just doing clinicals. My preceptors were pretty good about working with us regarding schedules, which was amazing because I have 2 kids and a crazy husband. This was more beneficial than I EVER realized! Now? I realize... Let's see... In my first three weeks, I've gotten ...

Wow! What a year this has been and with each opportunity and experience I have been able to share, I have the ADVANCE community to thank for helping me to grow and be a better professional. I have met so many wonderful people who continue to offer support and challenge me with my every day struggles as an NP working in corrections. Over the ...

Last week, NP & PA Student blogger Terry Clarke shared his concerns over the status of nursing. ''I am currently in a class called ‘Societal Forces' as a precursor to my first semester of advanced assessment in the Adult/Gero Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track. The teachers are passionate and well informed. The speakers are excellent, but ...

Over the past month I have had some very challenging patients. I will often question, why and how did someone end up here at the correctional facility? I believe it is better I do not know. Actually, it is none of my business; it keeps the care unbiased and pure and it does not impact how I treat them. If one of the inmates upsets the ...

Q: Please describe the DNP role in your NP specialty. A: I will step up on my DNP soapbox once again to say that completing your DNP serves to open up a new way of thinking, a way to approach your practice. It is not an avenue for developing a new position or making more money. The DNP provides you with the tools and resources to ...

There are six different physicians in my practice and thus, six different philosophical approaches to disease treatment and management. As a new NP, this can be somewhat frustrating. Some days I wish medicine and nursing were a bit more algorithmic. But alas, it ain't like baking a cake, so here's to finding the silver lining. Six ...

My new collaborative physician started two weeks ago, and while I was missing my former collaborative physician, I was glad the company found someone to replace her. One of the concerns regarding my company is no inclusion of the interview process. When I considered leaving this company, I wanted to assist in filling my upcoming vacancy. I was ...

There are several divisions to the medical department at the correctional facility, and for the most part, everyone works collaboratively. There is the medical team consisting of myself, my collaborative physician and our nurse, an LPN. Also, there are nurses, an RN and LPN, who distribute the medication, perform physicals, administer TB testing, ...

I believe the word ''no'' is very powerful and can be used in many ways. ''No'' can be used as a safety mechanism. For example, ''No, you cannot mix Plavix and omeprazole,'' or, ''No, I don't believe that is a nodule, but a fatty tumor, which is normal.'' In those types of contexts, the word ''no'' is not difficult. But as a new NP in a new ...

On my first day working the clinic alone, I saw 19 patients, half of whom were primary care patients and the others a combination of family planning, child health, and STDs. The nurses were amazed and very pleasantly surprised. Given that the PA who was fired saw seven to eight patients a day, and often left the clinic without notice, anyone ...