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

Speakers, Sarah Rossi, NP, and Lauren Mahon, NP, review identification of ovarian cancer and initial work up for patients suspected to have ovarian cancer in this dynamic and informative podcast. *This is an accredited podcast*

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) is a condition caused by damage to the pancreas that results in reduced capability to produce or deliver digestive enzymes which break down fats, carbohydrates or proteins — or to a decrease in the enzyme activity in the small intestine. EPI is most commonly associated with chronic pancreatitis (in adults), cystic fibrosis (in children), diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) and other etiologies such as acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer or resection, celiac and Crohn’s disease. Consequently, individuals with EPI may suffer malnutrition and fat-soluble vitamin deficiency; loss of bone mass; growth and immune deficiencies; and may experience poorer outcomes such as longer hospital stays and lower survival rates of underlying medical conditions secondary to malnutrition. Listen to guests Kimberly Kearns MS, APRN, ANP-BC and Amy Stewart FNP-C discuss EPI on this episode of the official podcast of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP), NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner® Additionally, two new tools are also available on AANP’s Tools and Resources page in both the Gastroenterology and in the Pulmonology and Respiratory therapeutic areas: Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT) – Patient Guide to diet and lifestyle modifications, and to the self-administration of PERTs to help reduce symptoms including gas, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea caused by undigested food in the gut. Diagnosing and Managing Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) – Provider Resource including evaluation of symptoms and common high-risk conditions, diagnostic testing and management goals combining diet, lifestyle and therapies to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Your voice counts here: EPI Podcast Follow Up Survey (surveymonkey.com) **This podcast is unaccredited.

To speak about the environmental and occupational health of veterans from an NP’s perspective, NP Pulse is proud to welcome Lt. Cashmere “Cash” Miller, a U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officer working in the Atlanta VA Health Care System. With host Sophia Thomas, Miller discusses toxic substances, from burn pit particles to Agent Orange, that veterans may have been exposed to while serving. Miller also shares what the PACT Act — an expansion of VA health care for veterans exposed to toxins and other hazards while serving in the military — means to affected patients and their NPs. Finally, Thomas and Miller talk about the importance of whole-person care, and why NPs are crucial to providing the best health care possible to veterans.

Many of us have questions after we step on a scale and see how much we weigh. How closely does that number correlate to our overall health? What is the best way, as nurse practitioners, to talk about weight with patients by emphasizing the positives of exercise and diet without reinforcing obesity bias? Today’s guest on NP Pulse, AANP’s new Vice President of Professional Practice Dr. Johnnie Sue Wijewardane, walks us through her personal weight loss journey and discusses the pros and cons of surgery, the very topical GLP-1s and even a fascinating aside into yo-yo trends like the “cabbage diet.” With her combination of expert analysis and trademark openness, Wijewardane guides us through the minefield of weight loss over-information into useful takeaways for both nurse practitioners and patients. For more resources on treating obesity and talking with patients about weight loss, visit aanp.org to find newsfeed articles and CE courses related to the topic.

Prescribing and deprescribing for the geriatric population can be complex. In this podcast, NP experts Drs. Shantha Franks and Audrey Stevenson will review the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of aging, discuss inappropriate prescribing and the American Geriatrics Society Beer's Criteria, and walk you through the process of deprescribing with use of a case study. To earn 0.9 contact hours of continuing education (CE) credit, all of which is Rx credit, you will need the participation code provided at the end of the podcast. To claim your CE credit, log in and register for the activity within the AANP CE Center, then enter the participation code and complete the post-test and evaluation. CE credit is available for this podcast through March 2025. Resources https://deprescribing.org/resources/ https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/deprescribing-patient-safety-strategy

Rare Disease Day is observed on the last day of February every year. Did you know that there are over 7,000 rare diseases affecting more than 30 million people in the United States? Every nurse practitioner will encounter patients and families affected by rare disease in their practices. On today’s podcast we are joined by NP experts Dr. Stephanie Hosley and Alicia Turner who will discuss the burden and impact of rare disease and provide resources for the NP to provide best care for patients/families affected by rare disease. To earn 0.9 contact hours of continuing education (CE) credit, you will need the participation code provided at the end of the podcast. To claim your CE credit, log in and register for the activity within the AANP CE Center, then enter the participation code and complete the post-test and evaluation. CE credit is available for this podcast through February 2025. Resources NIH Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center NORD Patient Assistance Programs Rare Diseases at FDA Clinical Trials Look-up

In this episode, Drs. Midge Bowers and Leslie Davis review the four pillars of therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. They outline the role of the NP in reducing the high morbidity and mortality rates by ensuring their patients with HFeRF are offered the latest guideline-recommended treatments. To claim 1.0 contact hours of CE with 1.0 RX for this activity go to: Four Pillars of Medications for Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFeRF) (inreachce.com), enter the participation code provided at the end of the podcast and complete the posttest and evaluation. Additional Downloadable Resources: Heart_Failure_Provider_Resource.pdf (aanp.org) Download this episode's transcript here.

Nurse Practitioners Dr. Tulay Cakiner-Egilmez and Dr. Audrey Stevenson discuss the recognition of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in primary care and the role of the NP along with the recommended treatments and tips to engage patients in the management of their AMD. Go here to claim CE credit for this activity: Reducing the Burden of AMD: What Primary Care NPs Can Do (inreachce.com) Use this link Optimizing Care of Patients with AMD: From Recognition to Treatment (inreachce.com) to take a 1.25 hour CE with 0.5 Rx audiovisual with interactive case studies activity to further your knowledge of AMD recognition and treatment. Download this episode's transcript here.

How can health care providers like nurse practitioners help their male patients feel comfortable coming in for visits and discussing their most intimate issues — including but not limited to erectile dysfunction, low testosterone and more? Joining host Dr. Sophia Thomas on this episode of NP Pulse are Nick Cannone, associate medical director at Maze Men’s Sexual and Reproductive Health, and AANP president Stephen Ferrara. Together, they talk all about men’s health — and make a great case as to why men should be talking about their health, too.

NPs may already know Dr. Bernadette Melnyk from her numerous appearances in media; her work as a published author and advocate for evidence-based practice; and as a member of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. In this wide-ranging discussion with host Dr. Sophia Thomas on NP Pulse, listeners will get to know Melnyk more personally through her stories of resilience in the face of trauma and her passion for the NP role. If emotions are contagious, as Dr. Melynk believes, be prepared to catch joy and feel grateful along with our guest. And if you haven't watched already, click here to see Bern on PBS NewsHour on the topic of NP burnout.

Staying well during the winter season means taking care of the body and the mind. On this episode of NP Pulse, we feature conversations with NPs who can speak to both specialties: Dr. Ruth Carrico is an infectious disease expert, and Dr. Tari Dilks’s focus is on psychiatric and mental health. Together, they discuss breakthroughs in disease prevention; how to combat both airborne and mental illness during the often-stressful holiday season; and what they do to combat stress and remain healthy and happy all year long.

Drs. Rita F. D’Aoust and Alicia Gill Rossiter, two nurse practitioners and authors on veteran care join NP Pulse to highlight the needs of those that have served our country and the needs of their families. Listen as they discuss the enormous insights a health care provider can gain by simply asking a patient: “Have you ever served?” Thank you to all our veterans and families of veterans that have served. And a special thank you to the co-founder of the NP role, Dr. Loretta Ford who served in the US Army Air Force. Visit AANP’s news feed to read about Dr. Loretta Ford being honored at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, and visit AANP’s CE Center for activities related to veteran care.

Thanks to all of our dedicated listeners, NP Pulse: The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner® has reached our 100th episode! The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® empowers all nurse practitioners through practice, education, advocacy, research and leadership, also known as P.E.A.R.L. NP Pulse prioritizes this mission by focusing on these values in every conversation featured on the podcast. On this special episode, host Dr. Sophia Thomas is joined by AANP president Dr. Stephen Ferrara to revisit topics and guests beginning with our first episode released in September 2020. Listen to the selected clips showcasing NP leadership, the importance of NP advocacy, sexual health and so much more. In 2024, NP Pulse will continue to produce meaningful content that is important to you and your patients. Attend the 2024 AANP Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28 - Jan. 30. Participants make congressional visits, learn from industry experts and earn approximately 16.5 contact hours of continuing education credit.

Happy NP Week from AANP! This year the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® is recognizing heroes in health care during National NP Week, and the NP Pulse podcast has devoted the entire week to mini-episodes featuring nurse practitioners (NPs) sharing their stories. In this final NP Week episode, you’ll hear from NP Joy Uduehi who shares her unique journey on becoming a nurse practitioner and her valuable perspective on staying positive throughout the challenges she has faced. Listen and be reminded why nurse practitioners are deserving of all the recognition they receive and more. Thank you to every Nurse Practitioner listening. Health care and the communities that you serve all greatly benefit from your dedication and expertise and AANP is proud to support and celebrate you. Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.

Happy NP Week from AANP! This year the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® is recognizing heroes in health care during National NP Week, and the NP Pulse podcast is devoting the entire week to mini-episodes featuring nurse practitioners (NPs) sharing their stories. In this episode, you’ll hear from NP Veronica Edwards who shares her story of working on an Indian reservation and rural populations that struggle with receiving access to care. Thank you to all Nurse Practitioners that work everyday to help those achieve the care they need and deserve. Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.

Happy NP Week from AANP! This year the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® is recognizing heroes in health care during National NP Week, and the NP Pulse podcast is devoting the entire week to mini-episodes featuring nurse practitioners (NPs) sharing their stories. In this episode, you’ll hear from two NPs, Rosha Joshi and Tracey Smith, who practice via telehealth, expanding access to health care for patients in their community and beyond. NPs remain at the forefront of health care delivery, meeting their patients' needs via telehealth and finding other innovative ways to increase access to high-quality health care for patients everywhere. Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.

Happy NP Week from AANP! We are celebrating this year by Recognizing Heroes in Health Care, and NP Pulse is devoting the entire week to mini-episodes featuring everyday NPs sharing their stories. In this episode you’ll hear from Nancy Rudner who pursued the role of Nurse Practitioner from almost the inception and has devoted her career to helping those that have struggled with accessing health care. Listen as she shares some of her stories that highlight the positive impact nurse practitioners can make on their patients and in communities. And don’t forget to continue to share how you have provided access to care on social media and on the aanp.org/shareyourstory because these are the stories that can inspire change. Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.

Happy NP Week from AANP! We are celebrating this year by Recognizing Heroes in Health Care, and NP Pulse is devoting the entire week to mini-episodes featuring everyday NPs sharing their stories. Today’s episode is all about mentorship, but with a special twist because we’re featuring sisters Vilma and Ilona Farkas who both went into nursing and then – later – advanced to the NP role together. It’s so important to have a strong support system and what better support than a sister who has been on the journey with you from the beginning. Please share today on social media who your mentors have been so we can all celebrate those that have been there to support NPs in their growth. Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.

Happy NP Week from AANP! We are celebrating this year by Recognizing Heroes in Health Care, and NP Pulse is devoting the entire week to mini-episodes featuring everyday NPs sharing their stories. Today, Elena Prendergast, a palliative care nurse practitioner and mother, joins to share her story about entering the nursing profession later in life and reminding us that it's never to late to follow your passion. And please remember to share on social media why pursuing a career as a NP is so worthwhile! Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.

Happy NP Week from AANP! We are celebrating this year by Recognizing Heroes in Health Care, and NP Pulse is devoting the entire week to mini-episodes featuring everyday NPs sharing their stories. Today, listen as NPs tell us what inspired them to become a nurse practitioner. And don't forget to take time today to share why you became a nurse practitioner at aanp.org/shareyourstory. Learn more about the NP role and the NP Week celebration at aanp.org/NPWeek.