NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner (AANP)

Hear from five nurse practitioners (NPs) as they discuss their roles and the importance of making professional connections, engaging with other NPs, developing leadership skills, mentoring colleagues and building an inclusive and welcoming community for all NPs and NP students during the 2022 AANP National Conference. Thank you to AANP Michigan State Liaison Dr. Ericka Brunson-Gillespie, AANP Fellow Dr. Joshua Hamilton and AANP members Elyssa Noce, Melissa Nunn and Dr. James Sims for contributing to this important conversation. AANP is grateful to all who participated in video interviews at the 2022 AANP National Conference. Additional insights from those interviews will be shared soon. Share your NP story with AANP by uploading photos or video, audio and text files today. You are also invited to join your NP community at the 2022 AANP Fall Conference, which is scheduled to be held Sept. 15-18 in Anaheim, California, and save the date for Oct. 3 when nominations will open for the 2023 AANP Elections. 

Dr. James Q. Simmons is a founding and continuing Clinical Ambassador for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Let’s Stop HIV Together” campaign. Also known as Ask the NP on social media, Simmons shares the importance of eliminating stigma and talking to patients about ways they can reduce the risk of HIV transmission, including using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). If you're a nurse practitioner interested in connecting with colleagues to discuss the latest in HIV prevention and treatment, consider joining the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Infectious Disease and HIV Community.

Advanced practice nursing continues to grow worldwide, with the nurse practitioner (NP) role emerging as an important part of the solution for health care access in countries across the globe. We were honored to speak with Bongi Sibanda, DNPc, MSc, ANP, RN, FHEA, who was a 2018 AANP International Advanced Practice Nurse Ambassador. An NP leader and academic with expertise in international health care workforce education, Sibanda led the Anglophone Africa APN Coalition project, which was supported by the International Council of Nurses APN Network, the AANP International Committee and several global APN stakeholders. In 2020, recommendations made by this coalition were incorporated into ICN APN guidelines. Sibanda has testified before the United Nations about the urgent need for education and resources in Africa as well as the potential for improved care in Africa through the introduction of the NP role. If you are interested in advanced practice nursing on a global scale, consider joining the AANP International Community.

Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Christy Blanco, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP, shares insights regarding the use of bioidentical hormones to support women's health on today's episode of NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner®. Look for continuing education sessions taught by Blanco in the AANP CE Center and during the 2022 AANP National Conference. To access all the benefits of AANP membership, join today.

The next installment in the series featuring deans of nursing schools from across the country presents Christine Kennedy of Rush University. Let’s celebrate the leaders who are responsible for making NP education happen!

Resources from this episode:

• 2022 AANP National Conference: aanp.org/national22

Join AANP Today: join.aanp.org

Over 14 million people in the US have osteoporosis, and each year, there will be 2 million fractures due to the disease. Osteoporosis is a silent, yet preventable disease, and NPs are uniquely positioned to change this trajectory.

Resources from this episode:

• Osteoporosis Continuing Education: aanp.org/ce

Join AANP Today: aanp.org/membership

To close out this year’s National Minority Health Month, NP Pulse is joined by mentor, nurse motivator, expert critical care nurse practitioner and AANP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee member Dr. Danielle McCamey.

Resources from this episode:

• Martin Luther King III at National Conference: aanp.org/national22

Join AANP Today: aanp.org/membership

The CDC reported an 850% increase in Hepatitis A virus infections from 2014-2018. Nurse practitioners Dr. Audrey Stevenson and Dr. Amanda Chaney join NP Pulse to discuss the importance and means of prevention.

Resources from this episode:

• Hepatitis A patient handout: aanp.org/hepa

Join AANP Today: aanp.org/membership

CPT James Dickens shares his experiences as an NP in a leadership role tackling public health emergencies in the U.S. and abroad — including being the officer in charge of the Commissioned Corps Ebola Response Team in West Africa.

Resources from this episode:

• AANP Professional Development Opportunities: aanp.org/IMPACT

Join AANP Today: aanp.org/membership

Two members of the AANP History Committee, Kim Curry and Ric Ricciardi, join NP Pulse to talk about the rich history of the NP, the importance of preserving it for future generations and two new AANP-funded grant opportunities!

Resources from this episode:

• History Grant Opportunities: aanp.org/history-grants

Join AANP Today: aanp.org/membership