Virginia NP scope of practice: A legislative case study.

During the 2018 state legislative session, Virginia's General Assembly approved legislation supporting a transitional licensing model for NPs with at least 5 years of full-time work equivalence in their certification area. This article outlines Virginia's case as an example for NP advocates who are planning scope-of-practice legislation in other states.

Progressive Assessment and Competency Evaluation Framework for Integrating Simulation in Nurse Practitioner Education.

Competencies for nurse practitioner students have been published with the goal of preparing graduates who are ready to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex health care system. Standardized preclinical assessment of graduate-level competencies have been suggested as a means to optimize the student experience in clinical rotations and maximize the preceptor's time toward preparing students for the transition to independent practice. The main objectives of this study are to describe progressive assessment and competency evaluation as an integral framework for integration of simulation in graduate-level curriculum and present the feasibility and challenges to consider during implementation of Progressive Assessment and Competency Evaluation-directed simulations.

Prolonged mechanical noise restores tactile sense in diabetic neuropathic patients.

Acute application of stochastic resonance (SR), defined as a subsensory level of mechanical noise presented directly to sensory neurons, improves the vibration and tactile perception in diabetic patients with mild to moderate neuropathy. This study examined the effect of 1 hour of continuous SR stimulation on sensory nerve function. Twenty diabetic patients were studied.