A curriculum to improve knowledge and skills of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the pediatric emergency department.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) have an important role in delivery of care in a tertiary children's hospital emergency department (ED). Most NPs and PAs have not had any formal training to work in a pediatric ED; although our NPs and PAs had no formal ED training, some were acute care certified. We describe a curriculum designed to improve knowledge and skills of NPs and PAs in the pediatric ED.

Enhancing pediatric oncology nursing care through research, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice.

Research, quality improvement (QI), and evidence-based practice (EBP) are knowledge-based methods used to enhance nursing practice. Nurses need to conduct studies to fill empirical gaps of knowledge (research), continually monitor health care practices and processes (QI), and systematically compile and review evidence (EBP). Research, QI, and EBP are valuable instruments within the health care setting as they can benefit the patient, families, health care team members, and the nursing profession, but it is important to understand when and how to use each method.