Advanced Practice Archives - Page 2 of 18

Exploring the Importance of Communication Skills in the Healthcare Industry

The world relies so much on the healthcare industry. It employs thousands of new workers every year. It’s where people go to get care and improve their holistic health. And we rely on healthcare professionals of various disciplines to develop new medicines, treatments, healthcare standards, policies, and so forth to drive health and wellness forward.

With so much riding on the healthcare industry, a lot can go wrong if any challenges aren’t adequately addressed. One of the most significant challenges is communication.

Let’s dive into why communication skills are so critical in the industry and how you can develop yours to work better with fellow healthcare professionals and deliver higher-quality care to patients.

Why Effective Communication is Critical in the Healthcare Industry

Effective communication is up there on the list of most important elements contributing to the healthcare industry’s success. However, without it, many of the healthcare industry’s problems persist, such as organizational silos and difficult patient relationships.

To avoid this, healthcare workers need to work together in several key ways to improve the patient experience.

Collaborate with colleagues in different departments

Organizational silos, as mentioned earlier, are an issue in the healthcare industry. It can typically occur when individual groups in an organization tend to stick to themselves. You typically see it with employees who work in the same department, role, or location.

Silos are dangerous because employees aren’t as forthcoming with information and documents with other departments, leading to a lack of communication across departments.

Excellent communication is the only way to facilitate interprofessional collaboration. You can’t collaborate effectively with other people in the absence of communication. You need to be able to reach out to anyone, disclose what you need, and devise a plan to get it done with that person or people efficiently. Patient and organizational outcomes depend on it.

Improve relationships and communication with patients

It’s no secret that many patients struggle with their relationships with their healthcare providers. For example, many haven’t developed a genuine enough relationship with their provider to be open and honest about sensitive information, impacting their ability to get the care they need.

Many patients struggle with the complex medical terminology doctors use and have difficulty understanding what to do. Or, there’s a lack of empathy shown by providers in emotionally-charged situations, which ultimately convinces a patient not to come back.

Fortunately, most of the challenges with patient relationships and conversations can be solved with effective communication.

Something as simple as sitting down with a patient for conversations rather than standing over them can make the patient feel more comfortable with you. Speaking in plain language and ensuring everything is confidential can help build trust and open up the lines of communication for better relationships as well.

Better working conditions at healthcare organizations

One of the reasons poor communication exists in the healthcare industry is because of unmanageable workloads. A 2021 Mercer study suggested that we’ll be just over 3 million healthcare workers short in critical healthcare occupations like nursing assistants come 2026.

This means more demanding work schedules for those who are employed in the industry., and, in turn, a rise in burnt-out healthcare employees who have no choice but to rush through appointments with patients to meet the demand.

This leads to poor communication because they can’t spend the time they need to with patients to ensure they fully understand what’s going on with their health and how to address it.

With effective communication skills, you can speak up about the work schedule you need to ensure quality patient interactions. You can advocate for better work schedules and encourage others to do the same.

In addition, when you effectively communicate with your managers and colleagues, you can determine how to best support each other’s needs.

Practical Tips for Developing Your Communication Skills

Effective communication is obviously a must-have in any healthcare organization. As important as it is for the entire industry to adopt good communication practices, you only have control over what you do.

It’s essential to lead by example and develop your communication skills first. That will hopefully inspire your colleagues, managers, and other staff around you to do the same. You can do that in the following steps:

Determine how your communication style can improve. Start with understanding where you fall short with communication and examining each interaction you have with patients and coworkers.
Make every patient and coworker interaction an opportunity to improve your communication skills. Set a communication-oriented goal for the day and do it in every conversation. For example, if your goal is to grow your listening skills, you could ask two follow-up questions in every patient or colleague interaction to work on active listening.
Learn all of the communication tools implemented by your organization. Unified communications on a single platform in the workplace make real-time communication across departments doable, thus enabling more accurate and efficient patient care. Set aside time each day to get to know the features and functions of your unified communications platform. Make a list of any other communication tools your organization uses and get familiar with those as well.

When going through each step, take your time. The more care you take in evaluating your communication style, the more you’ll understand how you can improve and how you can make the patient experience all the better.

Conclusion

The longer poor communication exists in the healthcare industry, the more time it will take to achieve high-quality patient care for everyone and seamless communication across departments and facilities.

Do your part in achieving effective communication within your organization by growing your personal communication skills with the tips above.

Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, activism-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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Pros and Cons of Being an FNP in a Rural Community

Choosing to work in healthcare is a smart career choice. The demand for these services continues to grow as the population ages. Plus, the work can be extremely fulfilling!

Nurse practitioners in particular are becoming a bigger part of the healthcare field, filling in care gaps and helping to improve preventative care. As a nurse practitioner, you can offer a lot of versatility to group practices, hospitals, or communities as an independent practitioner (depending on your state’s laws).

Once you’ve become a family nurse practitioner, you have to consider your options. Would it be better to get a job in an urban environment, where you’ll be one of many NPs working to keep the community healthy? Or would you thrive in a rural community, providing local care to a smaller population?

Here are some of the pros and cons of choosing to work as an FNP in a rural community.

The Demand for Healthcare Providers is Strong in Rural Areas

Many rural communities do not have good local healthcare options. This means that residents have to travel long distances to get the care they need. Ultimately, the lack of local services can lead to poorer health outcomes since people are likely to put off getting the care they need or do not have the resources to travel for their care. When community health services become available, everyone benefits.

It can be hard to attract qualified healthcare providers to rural communities. Why? Because most people prefer to live closer to urban centers and all the amenities they offer. This means that there are more opportunities and demand in rural areas, despite the smaller population numbers.

NPs Have More Autonomy and Scope of Practice

As long as you’re practicing in a state that allows FNPs to have lots of autonomy, you’ll be able to utilize that autonomy more fully in a rural healthcare job. With fewer healthcare providers available, everyone needs to provide a wide range of services with little supervision. FNPs who enjoy a large scope of practice and working independently are likely to thrive in a rural practice.

It’s Easy to Make a Difference and Build Relationships

In a rural community, you’ll really get to know your patients. You’ll have the opportunity to build relationships with them and get to know them. It’s also easier to see the difference you make in people’s lives. As a healthcare provider, you’ll get the chance to help reduce the health disparities that affect rural residents.

Being part of a rural community and providing care can be an incredible experience. Instead of working with thousands of patients and getting to know very few of them, you’ll be working directly within your community and providing care to your neighbors.

Resources and Collaborations Will Be Limited in Rural Practice

One of the downsides of rural practice is the lack of resources. A small hospital or practice won’t have the budget for the latest technology or the patient volume to support certain types of equipment. This can be a challenge and creates barriers to providing top-notch care.

Supplies and technology aside, you won’t have access to the same collaborative environment as a rural FNP as you would in an urban or suburban area. It will be more challenging to work through tricky diagnoses or collaborate on complex treatment plans without a network of specialists nearby.

In some cases, rural FNPs have to refer their patients to specialists that practice in far-off cities. This can be difficult emotionally, especially if you know that someone does not have the means to travel so far and see an expensive specialist.

Rural Living Can Be Isolating

Many people who take a job in rural healthcare settings struggle with the transition. It can be very isolating to live in sparsely populated areas. FNPs who decide to work in a rural community need to be proactive with self-care and making friends to fight off the potential for loneliness and isolation.

The Challenge of Maintaining Professional Boundaries

Rural communities are small and often have to rely on one another in many different ways. While that can be a huge positive for community-minded people, there are some downsides when it comes to privacy.

In a small town or rural community, everyone is likely to know your business. It can be difficult to maintain your privacy and professional boundaries when it’s normal in your community to gossip about your neighbors.

Embracing the Rewards and Challenges of FNP Work in Rural America

If you want to make a difference as a healthcare provider and work more independently, then becoming an FNP in a rural community could be a great fit. Embracing the rewards and challenges of healthcare in these settings can be a great way to grow as a healthcare provider while embracing a simpler life.

However, it’s important to consider your preferences and personality in making the decision. Weigh the pros and cons and be honest with yourself about whether life in the country or the wilderness is right for you before you decide.

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Future of Healthcare: Why Nurse Practitioners are Poised to Play a Major Role

Healthcare in the United States has been in a rough spot for— well…quite some time. Covid certainly didn’t invent the struggles of Western healthcare but it did intensify them. Hospitals all across the country are suffering from dangerous personnel shortages that have made it challenging to deliver even basic levels of care to certain communities.

It’s a bad situation. But while the number of nurses shrinks, nurse practitioners have been growing enormously in prominence.

In this article, we talk about what nurse practitioners do, and how they are poised to shape the future of healthcare.

Nurse Practitioners Declutter the Healthcare System

One of the healthcare system’s greatest problems in the United States—

That’s a long list, friend.

Fair enough, one of the many problems is that hospitals have more patients than they do people who are qualified to see them. Nurse practitioners can help to relieve some of that burden by providing much of the same care that doctors have traditionally offered.

There are limitations to the extent that this is allowable. Many of these regulations are regional. For example, some states require nurse practitioners to get a doctor to sign off on all of their determinations, which can nullify the time-saving benefits.

However, in states with more permissive laws, this can be an enormous boon. Keep in mind that it takes a lot less time for someone to become a nurse practitioner than it does for someone to become an MD. This means that it is much easier for hospitals to staff up on nurse practitioners.

NPs can work on a wide range of different floors, from neonatal to maternal, allowing hospitals to declutter, and patients to get better quicker care. Fewer patient bottlenecks is better for everyone.

NPs in Private Practice

One of the big appeals of becoming a nurse practitioner is that it can allow you to effectively open up your own practice. Like so many things concerning the life of an NP, this will depend on where you live. However, in many states, nurse practitioners can make diagnoses and prescribe medication just like a general practitioner.

Sometimes, an NP’s ability to do this will be contingent on how long they have been practicing. Other times, it’s simply a matter of getting licensed and setting up a practice.

This is great for patients because it gives them more opportunities to receive care. Many people, particularly those living in areas with limited access to healthcare professionals, are finding that they have to wait more than a year to get a wellness visit.

This is a frustrating, sometimes even dangerous dynamic that more nurse practitioners could help solve.

If you are interested in becoming a nurse practitioner in the hopes of setting up your own practice, do some research about your local laws before you get too far in the process.

It is a Good Option for Burnt-out Nurses

You can’t seem to turn on the news without hearing more about the ongoing healthcare crisis that is taking place in the United States. Since Covid-19 hit it seems that hospitals everywhere have been dangerously understaffed.

This was brought to renewed attention a few months ago when a nurse working in Washington made national headlines for dialing 911 after her hospital reached a breaking point and had too few employees to treat their current patient load.

While that episode was dramatic, it was far from unique. Hospitals everywhere have been overwhelmed by the recent nursing shortage. While it is tempting to lay this crisis at Covid’s feet, the truth is that it has been a long time coming.

For years, experts have been warning about this. The problem? Many people have been leaving nursing, and not enough are coming up to replace them.

The culprit is burnout. Nursing is hard, so people look for different jobs. The healthcare industry, and all the people that it serves suffer as a result.

To become a nurse practitioner is to pivot into a similar, but perhaps more comfortable gig. NPs make more money, work friendlier hours, and get to work with patients on an entirely different scale.

In an industry that is in desperate need of personnel retention, more NPs would be an enormous boon with truly transformative potential.

Where are We At Now?

It sounds like more nurse practitioners would be a great thing for this country. And that’s all well and good, but it doesn’t really matter if we don’t have them, does it? Where are we at now?

That’s a good question. While it wouldn’t be right to say that the United States healthcare system’s need for nurse practitioners is being met, it is fair to say that the profession’s growth rate is in promising shape.

Between 2012-2022 the number of nurse practitioners nationwide grew by a whopping 30%—more than three times the national average for professional growth.

That’s an impressive figure by any metric, and all the more notable when compared to the numbers for regular nurses. RNs are expected to grow by only 6% in the next ten years.

It’s hard to contextualize exactly what this means for the American healthcare system. On the one hand, more nurse practitioners are great. This is definitely a “the more the merrier,” type of situation.

That said, we do still need bedside nurses, and that job market is still in questionable condition. It seems that no matter what happens, the US healthcare system will look different ten years from now than it does today.

A healthy stock of nurse practitioners won’t be able to solve all of our problems, but they certainly will help the transition into a brighter future.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Stones of Yemen, Part II; The Story

Imagine for a moment you are a physician associate and have just completed your first decade in practice. While finding neurosurgery rewarding, there is still something amiss in your life, a haunting emptiness. You recognize the source of that disquiet, the lingering grief of losing your father twenty years previously, your hero and best friend—a medic dying in the south tower on 9/11. This was Bryan Roger’s emotional posture at the beginning of the Stones of Yemen. But he finds peace at the helm of a sailboat and decides to take one year off to sail around the world alone, an attempt to rekindle his passion for medicine and life.

Halfway through circumnavigating the planet, Bryan anchors for the night off the shore of Yemen. He becomes mesmerized watching the brutal civil war playing out on the mainland along the eastern horizon. By the small hours of the next morning, he hears the imagined voices of Yemen’s children of war, beckoning him to help them. He answers that call—entering the country on a whim—quickly settling into a fulfilling role in a clinic at a refugee camp in the mountain oasis, Haydan. After an incredible year, his passions rekindled, and assimilating deeply into the rich culture of the Yemen’s mountain people, tragedy strikes. In the wake of that disaster, Bryan learns of a plot for the next “9/11”, a terrorist attack against his hometown, New York, that would eclipse the first. It is a plot that only he can thwart; an around-the-world chase begins.

While Bryan Rogers is an imperfect man, his compassion, judgement, and well-honed medical skills will make all advanced medical clinicians proud. These skills are displayed in a graphic way throughout the story. The book has been characterized as a “upmarket suspense,” in other words, a thinking woman or man’s thriller. While intense at times, it does raise serious questions about war, terrorism, and finding hope in a bleak world.

The author Mike Jones draws richly from his own experience living and working as a physician associate in the Middle East and near Asia, including working among refugees and in war zones. The Stones of Yemen is beautifully written, an engaging story that will keep the reader spellbound from the beginning to the end. The book is available as a free Kindle Unlimited download and by order through all bookstores. An audio version is exclusively available at BookBaby Bookshop online.

J. Michael Jones started writing in the early 1980s, publishing over thirty articles in national medical journals, and The Stones of Yemen is his eighth book, five of them fiction. He had a thirty-eight-year career as a physician associate and worked in refugee camps in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Oman, UAE, Egypt, and Nepal. In addition, he hosted twenty Yemeni students over two years in the U.S. Besides his medical studies, he has a degree in Arabic from the American University in Cairo, which was invaluable during the research for this book. Michael resides with his wife Denise in Washington’s San Juan Islands, where he writes full time. They are the parents of five grown children and one hairy Saint Bernard.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Stones of Yemen, PART I; The Story Behind the Story

January 11th, 2019 was seeming to be a typical Pacific northwest winter morning. A cool rain was gently falling on the lofty Douglas firs and burly cedars, dripping down to the forest floor below, where physician associate Mike Jones was hiking with his Saint Bernard, Greta—boots and paws leaving their mark in the black humus between the sea of bracken ferns. Mike had taken a day off from managing his busy headache treatment clinic, to train for a month-long trek across Greenland in the coming summer. Before that day was over, Mike would find himself in an ICU, his attending physician at his bedside warning, “Mr. Jones, you need to call your children home. We are doing everything we can to save your life but what we are doing isn’t working. Your potassium is still almost nine.”

By the time of discharge from the hospital two weeks later, through the insight offered by copious blood tests and kidney and bone marrow biopsies, he had a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma with associated renal failure. He started hemodialysis for 16 hours per week and an aggressive induction chemotherapy program to prepare for a stem cell transplant, his 38-year career as a PA abruptly ending, never to see the interior of his office, his colleagues, or his patients again.

The stem cell transplant required Mike to go on a protective quarantine, typically lasting six months but was extended for two more years due to the COVID pandemic. It was the perfect melancholic storm. Losing his career, friends, health, and future, and living alone as a hermit on a mountain lake. His wife, a hospital administrator, working long hard hours due to the same pandemic.

For over thirty years, Mike had a hobby of writing, having authored over thirty articles for medical journals and eight books. He decided, for his own mental health’s sake, that he needed to write again, this time an epic novel, a much higher level of writing than anything he had attempted before. As a gift to his profession—which had served him so well—he knew a physician associate would be the protagonist in the story, who would showcase to the world what advanced practice clinicians can do. To engage readers, the story had to be enthralling and well written. Mike employed some of the best editors in the business to look over his shoulder as he wrote, guiding his words to be their best.

The resulting book, The Stones of Yemen, is a thinking man / woman’s thriller and it is about bereavement. But it is also about sailing, romantic love, political hate, retribution, forgiveness, and hope told on the backdrop of Yemen’s brutal civil war. When they released it in February, it quickly became the best-selling PA book and all the reviews have been glowing. The print copies are available through all bookstores, the eBook format is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers or to purchase on Amazon. An audiobook format is available exclusively at BookBaby Shop .

*Stay tuned Part 2 coming soon!

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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The Complicated Role of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Formal nursing has played an important role in healthcare for over 150 years. Doctors diagnose and treat patients, but nurses handle patient care, including administering medication and checking vital signs.

Gradually, the role of nurses has expanded, with many registered nurses specializing in different patient populations or the type of care they offer. Some are even continuing their education to become specialized nurse practitioners, such as pediatric nurse practitioners.

Pediatric nurse practitioners are becoming more common and helping to ease the physician shortage we’re facing in the United States. But what does a pediatric nurse practitioner do, exactly, and why is their role in the healthcare system a little bit complicated? Here’s what you need to know.

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are recognized as a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). They have advanced training in medicine and can provide a wide range of healthcare services for patients. Some nurse practitioners even have their own practices and provide many of the same services as doctors.

Rather than providing “bedside care,” which is usually carried out by registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), NPs and other APRNs generally create treatment plans and oversee patient care. They typically have much more autonomy than an RN would and can help patients with everything from preventative care to treatment for acute injuries and illnesses that come on suddenly.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

While many nurse practitioners specialize in general care and are known as family nurse practitioners (FNPs), pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) specialize in caring for children, also including infants, toddlers, and teens. Working with pediatric patients can be challenging for a number of different reasons, but nurse practitioners get into this field because they love children and want to help them stay healthy.

What is the Role of a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner?

A PNP has an in-depth understanding of child development and the specialized medical needs of children. They can help families with a variety of needs, including childhood wellness checkups, giving immunizations, answering health questions, and treating common childhood illnesses and disorders. PNPs also need to be able to spot signs of abuse and be prepared to report their suspicions if necessary.

In some situations, a nurse practitioner will be able to provide most or all of the services a child needs from their pediatrician. In other cases, a PNP will be part of a larger care team, helping a pediatrician deliver care to children. PNPs have to be extremely patient in order to work with children and their families, who are often scared or confused when they visit the doctor.

Limitations on Nurse Practitioners Can Complicate Care Plans

Depending on an individual state’s laws, nurse practitioners do not always have full practice authority. In some states, they are allowed to diagnose patients and prescribe medications. In others, they need a physician’s oversight or are otherwise limited in the care they can provide.

This means that depending on where you live, becoming a nurse practitioner might not give you the autonomy you’re looking for. If your state has strict limitations on what you can do as a nurse practitioner, it’s important to realize that your job and responsibilities will be different from an NP in a full-practice state.

A Focus on Coordinating Care

PNPs need to be prepared to coordinate care with other healthcare providers, particularly in states that do not allow full practice for APRNs. A PNP needs a wide variety of skills to properly work with pediatric patients and other providers to deliver excellent care. Some of these skills include:

- - Diagnosing patients who cannot express themselves verbally
  - Calming fearful children and parents
  - Collaborating verbally with other providers to create care plans
  - Taking thorough notes to share with other providers
  - Educating families on child development and health

Pediatric nurse practitioners must be compassionate, thorough, organized, and tactful. They need to be prepared to look at a child’s health from every angle and take a variety of factors into account when diagnosing and prescribing treatment or medications.

Becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

The road to becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner begins with becoming a registered nurse. Then, a master’s degree in nursing is required before you can take the board examination to become a PNP. The full-time programs can be expensive, but there are scholarships available.

If you have an associate’s degree, the process of becoming a PNP takes 3-4 years if you attend your program full-time. Those with a bachelor’s degree can usually complete the education requirements in 2 years.

Becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner is no easy feat. However, the demand for skilled healthcare professionals is growing and there’s never been a better time to be an APRN. If you love kids and want more autonomy as a nurse, being a PNP could be the perfect role for you

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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10 Most In-Demand Nurse Practitioner Specialties

Nurse practitioners are a driving force in healthcare that provide meaningful care to scores of individuals. These professionals practice nursing at a high level and their duties often overlap with that of physicians. If you’re curious about pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner, it can help to be aware of the many specialties within the profession.

Here the 10 most in-demand nurse practitioner specialties.

1 – Family Care Nurse Practitioner

Family care nurse practitioners focus on providing care to individuals throughout their lives. This means that these professionals treat children, teens, adults, and older adults in their practice, oftentimes developing prolonged relationships with patients.

The broad nature of family care allows nurse practitioners in this specialty to practice a wide variety of services and requires an advanced knowledge of healthcare practices. Their duties can range from performing physical exams on patients to treating chronic illnesses over the span of years.

2 – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Pediatric nurse practitioners specialize in providing care to children throughout their childhood. This means that these professionals can potentially treat the same patient over the course of several years through to young adulthood.

Typically, pediatric care nurse practitioners will treat many different illnesses that are specific to children. These include ailments such as Kawasaki disease and certain infections common to children.

3 – Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Adult gerontology nurse practitioners specialize in providing care to older adults. These professionals specialize in treating age-related ailments that their older patients are afflicted by.

In addition to treating certain illnesses, adult gerontology nurse practitioners will also provide patients with strategies and tips to maintain and promote good health as they age. This highlights the two-fold nature of the role, focusing on not only treating certain illnesses but also preventing the decline of health in various ways.

4 – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) specialize in treating and assessing patients’ mental health states. They have the authority to both assess mental health ailments and prescribe medications as they see fit.

In addition, PMHNPs may also refer their patients to other professionals, such as psychotherapists, depending on their mental health needs. However, it must be noted that different states have different rules regarding the level of authority and autonomy that nurse practitioners may have, and PMHNP practices differ depending on the location in which they work.

5 – Oncology Nurse Practitioner

Oncology nurse practitioners specialize in assessing and treating patients with cancer or those at high-risk of developing cancer. These professionals work closely with other medical professionals, such as physicians and registered nurses, and play a significant role in the treatment of cancer patients.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, making professionals with the skills to diagnose and treat this illness in high demand. As such, oncology nurse practitioners and the specialized skills they bring with them are in high-demand in today’s world.

6 – Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

Acute care nurse practitioners specialize in treating patients who are in critical condition and need immediate care. Examples of ailments acute care nurse practitioners typically treat include heart attacks and trauma as the result of an accident.

In addition to providing immediate treatment, these nurse practitioners also work with patients to provide long term strategies for recovery and the promotion of good health. Given the unique skillset of these professionals, acute care nurse practitioners often work in institutions such as trauma units, urgent care units, and emergency rooms.

7 – Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner

Aesthetic nurse practitioners specialize in providing patients or clients with a number of treatments clinical procedures that revolve around cosmetic changes to someone’s appearance. Some typical treatments performed by these professionals include botox injections and laser treatments.

The majority of aesthetic nurse practitioners work in private clinics, treatment centers, or spas. As opposed to many other nurse practitioners and medical specialties, aesthetic nurse practitioners typically work within normal business hours, potentially allowing for a more significant amount of work/life balance.

8 – Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

Women’s health nurse practitioners specialize in providing women with care at various stages of their lives. Like midwives, these professionals may provide pregnancy-related pre-natal and post-natal care.

Other areas that women’s health nurse practitioners may work in include gynecological and menopausal care, both diagnosing patients and providing them with strategies to manage their ailments. These professionals are trained to be sensitive to the needs of the women that they treat and have an advanced social perspective.

9 – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Neonatal nurse practitioners specialize in providing care to infants who are suffering from a range of ailments, diseases, and infections. Some common ailments these professionals treat include heart abnormalities and infections in infants.

In addition to providing care to infants, neonatal nurse practitioners will also help educate parents on how to best care for their infants depending on their various needs. Typically, neonatal nurse practitioners work in specific neonatal-oriented care units or emergency rooms.

10 – Infectious Disease

Infectious disease nurse practitioners specialize in treating and helping patients manage infectious diseases. In some cases, their work may revolve around helping prevent certain infectious diseases that certain patients may be more vulnerable to.

Some common illnesses that infectious disease nurse practitioners specialize in treating include Lyme disease and HIV. While many work in healthcare environments and provide healthcare to patients, some of these professionals work to inform healthcare policy by providing their expert opinion.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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What to Know Before Switching to a Telehealth Career

Telehealth has seen consistent growth in popularity over the last few years. But, the biggest “boom” came during the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, it was out of necessity as medical professionals worked to keep patients safe and protected. However, even as we enter a post-pandemic world, telehealth trends continue to go up.

Telehealth benefits both patients and physicians. It offers flexibility, greater inclusivity, and can encourage more people to practice preventative healthcare when they know they can chat with their doctor from the comfort of home.

If you’re considering a career in telehealth, now is a great time to get on board. However, it’s important to know what to expect, and how you can prepare yourself before you decide if it’s the right career move for you.

Consider What You Want

A career in telehealth can be rewarding. Depending on your position, you might interact directly with patients, offering medical advice and preventative care options that can improve their well-being or help them manage the symptoms of an illness. If you have a passion for helping people and want to do something truly meaningful, it’s a fantastic way to find fulfillment.

However, there are some potential drawbacks to consider. It’s not always the same having to help someone virtually, rather than face-to-face. You’ll also have to deal with people from all walks of life, and not every patient will be pleasant. Some will have conditions that are difficult to handle. Others might be frustrated by the very technology they’re using to talk to you. So, while a career in telehealth can be convenient, really consider what you want before you take the plunge. Think about things like:

- - Your comfort level in working with people virtually
  - How much time you can devote to this career
  - How well you handle stressful situations

Once you’ve decided that you think this career choice would be a good fit for you, it’s time to determine what you need to actually make it happen. If you’re currently in the healthcare field, it might be easy to transfer your education

Do You Meet the Qualifications?

Maybe you’re totally new to the telehealth field but you have the desire to help people. You don’t need to be a doctor or specialist to work in telehealth. However, depending on your position, you might need to meet certain qualifications. That includes certifications and licenses, in some cases.

For example, if you’re a nurse, you’ll have to receive appropriate licensing through the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Because telehealth services are in such high demand, you shouldn’t have a problem getting your licensure quickly so you can start helping people as soon as possible.

If you’re a doctor, or specialist, or work for a clinic that provides telehealth services, make sure your certifications are up-to-date, and familiarize yourself with the latest in telemedicine software. There are multiple platforms and options available, so educating yourself on how to utilize technology safely and effectively is essential for any type of telehealth career.

Some practices and clinics might eventually switch to mostly telehealth services, so you might be able to get your foot in the door as an administrator and help people make virtual appointments or assist with billing. Having experience as an administrator can make that transition easier for you. You’ll also need to brush up on skills like:

- - Patience
  - Empathy
  - Time management
  - Organization
  - Flexibility

If you truly want to determine what’s needed to start your career with the right qualifications, check the requirements in your state. They vary by location, and you could be closer to getting started than you might think!

The Ins and Outs of a Virtual Career

One of the most important things to consider if you want to switch to a telehealth career is whether virtual/remote work is a good fit for you. There are advantages and disadvantages to think about. While virtual work can offer more flexibility, it can also take a toll on your mental health if you’re not getting the social interaction you need.

Humans are social creatures. We need face-to-face interaction. If your work solely relies on a virtual environment, you might struggle with isolation and loneliness. You might even feel uninspired, unmotivated, and burnt out.

While mental health stigmas in the healthcare field are starting to crumble, be sure you’re comfortable prioritizing your own mental well-being, and even talking to a professional if you’re worried that you might struggle with this type of career. Practice self-care each day by exercising, eating healthy meals, and getting as much in-person interaction with people as possible.

Telehealth is the future. While it can’t completely replace all types of medical care, it will certainly change the face of medicine and how people approach preventative care for years to come. If you’re interested in making a career change to enjoy the benefits of telemedicine, use the information here to consider whether it’s the right move, and whether you’ll find happiness and fulfillment. If so, don’t hesitate to start moving forward with your new career right away. The need for workers is extremely high, and you could end up landing the job of your dreams quickly.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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How Can We Improve Healthcare in Underserved Communities?

Today’s healthcare landscape is vast and complex. Within it exists nearly infinite sub-environments and social contexts, all of which present unique strengths, weaknesses, and difficulties. However, one sweeping reality that affects countless people within the system is a common tendency towards inequitable care provision for certain communities and demographics over others.

The disproportionalities in healthcare provision experienced by specific subpopulations and underserved communities is a story that repeats itself over and over across the country (and around the world). This is a matter of deep concern for equity advocates in healthcare, and there are a number of voices within the healthcare landscape working towards changing this reality.

Current Disparities in Healthcare Access

One helpful lens for understanding healthcare disparities at scale is a set of statistics that reveal the average difference in care delivery and outcomes by demographic. These include social differentiators like income level, race, legal status, gender identity, disability, and religion.

Across a range of metrics, certain communities, like those that earn middle-class incomes or are white/Caucasian, receive (on average) better levels of care and enjoy easier access to healthcare providers than individuals within the same communities and geographic locations that fall into other demographic categories.

There are a number of ways these disparities play out in various settings or instances. A few trends in particular represent a large percentage of healthcare inequity cases across the country. These include the following:

Difficulties in Securing Health Insurance for Noncitizens

Because the American healthcare system is so tightly tied to the insurance industry, it is vastly difficult to obtain any kind of healthcare without some form of health insurance. Unfortunately, insurance is very difficult to secure for a number of demographics, including those with complicated legal statuses or those that don’t work or have permanent addresses.

Racist Policies, Sentiments, and Biases Within the Healthcare System

This is a hugely complex topic and involves deeply systemic and cultural influences. The result, however, is a serially prejudiced system that, on average, is more likely to provide subpar care and treatment to people of color than it is to white people.

Healthcare Professionals, Especially in Places of Leadership, Remain Disproportionately white, Cisgendered, and Male

Though this has long been an area of focus and attempted awareness within the professional healthcare community, it still remains disproportionately monotone. Numbers of ethnic minorities (and other minority groups) working in healthcare fields remain stubbornly low.

This perpetuates difficulties that many patients experience when receiving care from someone who does not look like them and does not fully understand their culture, experience, community, or context.

Current Initiatives that are Working to Equalize Access to Good Healthcare

Above are just some of the ways that the healthcare system is still operating to disproportionately help certain members of society more than others. But though the system is still fraught with these widespread inequalities and problems, strides are being taken towards balancing the healthcare system at large and changing some of these realities so that more people have adequate access to the healthcare they need.

Changing Legislation to Correct Implicitly Biased or Prejudiced Policies

Systemic manifestations of discrimination and racism are often baked into legislative policy. The process of assessing current legislation and reshaping it to be more equal and equitable is a long, painstaking process. However, it can be a source of deep and significant institutional change.

Design Initiatives to Encourage More Members of Minority Groups to Study Medicine

These might look like demographic-specific scholarships, programs, or job fairs; or curriculums implemented in high-minority primary and secondary education spaces. Encouraging minority groups to consider healthcare a viable career option can have ripple effects on not only current but future generations and create precedent for more individuals to choose to enter the healthcare workforce as well.

Prioritizing Public Health Campaigns that Equip and Empower Minority Demographics to Partake in Healthy Living

Statistics reveal strong disparities in health IQ and healthy living habits between, for example, white/caucasian populations and ethnic minority populations. The work of providing diverse cultural contexts and backgrounds with health information made pertinent and relevant to them is slowly gaining traction and needs to be increased.

Ways to Contribute Personally Towards Stronger Equity in Healthcare

If you are a healthcare professional and want to make a difference in bringing about better, more equitable healthcare provision for all communities, here are a few ways you can get involved in this process.

Educate Yourself on the Nuances of Providing Healthcare to Those of Different Cultures, Identities, and Ethnicities

Whether you yourself belong to a minority identity or not, everyone has room to learn and grow when it comes to becoming more culturally knowledgeable and equipped. Terms like “transcultural nursing” and “cultural sensitivity” help shape this concept into actionable knowledge areas.

Seeking out conferences, talks, reading materials, and training on these topics can help you better understand, identify with, empathize with, and respect people with different cultural or ethnic backgrounds than your own.

Advocate for Equitable Policies, Awareness, and Conduct Within Your Own Healthcare Facility

Whether you work for an independent local hospital, a large nationwide healthcare provider, or a small outpatient clinic, your healthcare environment may or may not have an adequate understanding of equitable practices and policies.

Speaking up for underserved communities and supporting implementation of better equity practices can help change the nature of your healthcare facility as well as educate your colleagues and fellow professionals about the importance of healthcare equity.

Find Opportunities to Volunteer Your Healthcare Expertise to Support Underserved Communities in Your Area

Especially in locations where disparities are large and certain demographics or populations have poor access to healthcare, find opportunities to volunteer with nonprofit organizations or other initiatives to meet the healthcare needs of communities that have the most difficulty accessing treatment. This can be a significant and often life-altering way of lessening healthcare inequality.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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What Kind of Relationship Does a Nurse Practitioner Have with Patients?

It’s hard for outsiders to understand exactly what nurse practitioners do. You can come across them almost anywhere. Doctors’ offices, hospitals, and in each setting, they have different responsibilities. So what kind of relationship does a nurse practitioner have with patients?

In this article, we set out to answer that question, and explain how the job works. Read on to learn more about the responsibilities of a nurse practitioner.

It’s Complicated

The responsibilities of a nurse practitioner will depend mostly on where they find themselves in the country. Every state has its own laws about what a nurse practitioner can do. Some allow them to prescribe medications or make diagnoses. Others will allow them to do this only after they’ve consulted with a doctor first.

It’s a good idea to do plenty of research on your local laws before you begin your journey toward becoming a nurse practitioner. The more liberal the laws, the more options you will have for the professional trajectory of your career.

In areas where the laws are liberal enough, a nurse practitioner ostensibly performs the same duties as a primary practitioner. This means that they will see patients for basic wellness appointments, and when the patient is ill. They will fill out prescriptions as needed, and even offer diagnoses.

This level of freedom allows some nurse practitioners to start up their own practices. However, there are many other roles that nurse practitioners can perform.

Working in a Doctor’s Office

Nurse practitioners can very easily fit into any doctor’s office setting. Even in states where laws don’t allow them full autonomy, they will be able to see patients and consult with their MD peers to provide further care.

Doctors’ offices really appreciate having a nurse practitioner on staff as it can free up a considerable amount of time. Where once the doctor took on every sick visit and wellness check, now the nurse practitioner is there to ease off much of the burden.

Consequently, everyone is able to spend a little more time with each patient, and the level of care increases.

Working on a hospital floor

Nurse practitioners can also work on a hospital floor, performing a combination of duties similar to those of both nurses and doctors. Where they end up depends on how they specialize. For example, the previous example describes a Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are also nurse practitioners that specialize in prenatal care, pediatric care, acute care, and so on. The responsibilities of each position vary pretty radically depending on the specifics of the specialty. This gives nurse practitioners an enormous amount of flexibility in how they shape their careers.

How to Become a Nurse Practitioner

It’s a long road to becoming a nurse practitioner. To start, you need to get a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This usually takes four years, though there are accelerated programs that can cut that time in half. Accelerated programs carry their own challenges, but may be a particularly good option for disciplined people who want to start working as a nurse practitioners as quickly as possible.

Through the accelerated program, you can complete your undergraduate and graduate studies in approximately the same amount of time most people spend just getting their undergraduate degree.

Once you’ve got your undergraduate degree, you will need to choose a graduate program specifically focused on NPing. This is when you will choose your specialty. These programs usually take between two and three years to complete but you can speed up the process a little bit by taking heavy courseloads.

Once you’ve completed all of the educational requirements, you will need to fulfill the testing and registration guidelines set out by your state. This will usually involve fees. In fact, heavy expenses are typically incurred at every step of the journey. Financing and scholarship opportunities can take some of the sting out, but in most cases, it will be a considerable cost no matter what.

That’s alright though because if you’ve followed these steps, you’re there. You’ve arrived at the lucrative and emotionally rewarding career path of a nurse practitioner.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

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