Historical Evolution of Emergency Nurse Practitioner Education: A Comprehensive Review.

This manuscript explores the historical evolution of emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) education from its inception to its current state. It discusses key milestones, innovative leaders, curricular approaches and current program characteristics. The paper concludes with a review of the current state of ENP education, persistent challenges, and future directions.

Finger Thoracostomy for Tension Pneumothorax.

One of the injuries associated with chest trauma is pneumothorax, a condition where air accumulates between the parietal and visceral pleura in the chest leading to collapse of the lung due to pressure. Left untreated, a tension pneumothorax may develop leading to cardiovascular collapse. This article reviews the development of a tension pneumothorax, discusses the clinical recognition of the diagnosis, and outlines the procedure for performing a finger (or simple) thoracostomy.

Analysis of nurse practitioner practice in US emergency departments: Evidence supporting educational preparation, credentialing, scope of practice, and outcomes.

The nurse practitioner (NP) role within emergency care has grown in recent years and now there are an estimated 25,000 NPs employed in diverse emergency care settings. Despite this significant growth and expansion of the NP within emergency care areas, challenges exist. In addition to the pervasive confusion regarding the NP role in emergency care, data and statistics detailing characteristics and outcomes of NP practice in emergency care are either lacking or misrepresented.

Consideration of the emergency nurse practitioner as a population within the APRN Consensus Model: A SWOT analysis.

After adoption of the 2008 Consensus Model for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Regulation, evolution of the nurse practitioner (NP) role and emergency NP (ENP) specialty has outpaced regulatory standards. Lack of uniformity among regulators, health insurance providers, and employers in acknowledging the ENP specialty has created barriers to practice and access to care. This article serves to identify potential outcomes if the ENP specialty was transitioned to a population within the Consensus Model of Regulation.

Postpartum Hemorrhage: Emergency Management for Uncontrolled Vaginal Bleeding.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) represents total cumulative blood loss in excess of 1,000 ml or blood loss accompanied by signs and/or symptoms of hypovolemia within 24 hr following birth (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG], 2017). As a large number of PPHs occur in low-risk women (ACOG, 2019), the emergency nurse practitioner must be prepared to identify and manage this uncommon but life-threatening condition. The etiology, pharmacological management strategies, and other interventions are reviewed in an algorithmic approach.

Utilization of Phone Simulations to Assess Competency Within Nursing Education.

Background: Phone simulations offer educators unique opportunities for teaching and assessment with reduced scheduling and location barriers.

Problem: Challenges to learner assessments are multifaceted, including decreased availability of clinical sites, preceptors, and, at times, clinical instructors.

Approach: This article describes the creation and implementation of diverse phone simulations at multiple levels of nursing education and provides suggestions for broader replication and adaptation.

Bridging Didactic Learning and the Complexity of Practice Through Clinical Immersion: Evaluating the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Trainee Experience.

In this article, we discuss the development and evaluation of the Vanderbilt Nursing Education Program for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (VEP-SANE), a 3-day clinical immersion (CI) program, including the lessons learned and the challenges experienced with the completion of two trainee cohorts. To bridge didactic learning and the complexity of practice, the VEP-SANE team designed an innovative, competency-based CI. Fifteen trainees from Cohort 1 and 19 trainees from Cohort 2 met requirements for CI participation.

Supporting program rigor in newly developed specialty academic programs: Use of a self-evaluation reporting tool for emergency nurse practitioner academic programs.

The emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) specialty has grown rapidly, responding and adapting to changes in emergency care. Designation and advancement of nurse practitioner (NP) specialties follows a systematic process as defined by the profession. This includes establishment of scope and standards of practice, educational standards, and policy initiatives to ensure quality and safety within the profession.

Dental Pain Relief in the Age of ALTO.

The opioid public health crisis necessitates that health care providers seek alternatives to opioid pain control. For patients presenting with dental pain, a dental nerve block provides effective, long-lasting pain relief without the use of opioid pain medications. This article presents the techniques required to safely and effectively administer 3 types of dental nerve blocks, allowing the emergency nurse practitioner to provide effective pain control to patients with dental pain.

Embracing the future for emergency nurse practitioners and specialty practice: Implications for research, clinical practice, education, and health policy.

The emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) specialty has grown rapidly, responding and adapting to changes within emergency care. Designation and advancement of nurse practitioner (NP) specialties follows a systematic process as defined by the profession. This includes establishment of scope and standards of practice, educational standards, and policy initiatives to ensure quality and safety within the profession.

Beyond competencies: Practice standards for emergency nurse practitioners-A model for specialty care clinicians, educators, and employers.

Background/purpose: The growth of advanced practice nursing specialties requires additional expertise for practice that goes beyond entry-level competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities. A practice standards model for specialty nurse practitioners (PSMSNPs) is introduced that differentiates entry-to-practice population foci competencies from advanced specialty practice standards.

Objectives: (a) Differentiate competencies and practice standards in context to specialty NPs using the emergency specialty as the exemplar, (b) articulate the process to develop the PSMSNP that evolved from an evidence-based practice analysis of NPs working in emergency care, (c) apply the PSMSNP for adaptation to other specialties, and (d) provide implications for the utilization of the PSMSNP by educators, clinicians, and employers.