Providers need to consistently implement immunization schedules
October 21st 2019The evidence is clear: Practitioners who fail to administer immunizations according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices schedules results in adverse outcomes for children and adolescents who are needlessly exposed to vaccine preventable diseases.
Cannabidiol use: We do not know the potential to harm
September 24th 2019I totally agree with Dr. Schuman’s perspective in his article that “it is inappropriate and irresponsible for pediatricians [and I include, PNPs] to encourage the use of cannabidiol (CBD) until more studies are available” to assure the safety and efficacy of CBD are clearly established in rigorous randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs).
Autistic spectrum disorder: Challenges in the medical home
August 22nd 2019'Building a medical home for children with autism' describes the importance of establishing a medical home in a pediatric office for children with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and discusses five major management strategies for the successful management of children in the medical home.
Social justice, health policy, and vaccine-refusing parents
July 23rd 2019To me, it seems that we are trapped traveling around the world within ‘non-connected circles’ that encompass viewpoints adversely affecting significant scientific immunization advances developed to improve the health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, their families, and all individuals who interact with them.
New insights on the impact of paternal parenting
June 24th 2019Covering the father as both parent and influential partner in childrearing from preconception to entrance into young adulthood, this issue provides the foundation for thoughtful consideration of how we, as nurse practitioners, can address paternal parenting and apply the past 10 years of research results on fathers to better inform our practices.
Taking a journal club approach
May 22nd 2019Best practices for both hospital and ambulatory care centers include methods to encourage the continuous educational development of all members of nursing and interprofessional (IP) teams. One successful, but sometimes resisted strategy, is to engage all members of the team in planned monthly journal club luncheons in which the members review a recently published article that may impact practice management strategies.
Prescribing new antivirals for influenza
February 21st 2019Imagine the joy of experiencing a late fall, winter, and spring season of never having to press the e-prescribing submit button in the electronic health record for an antiviral medication to treat an infant, child, or adolescent who is very ill after contracting influenza.
Screening is critical to identify behavioral and mental health problems
September 20th 2018Mental health is a critical component of pediatric overall health. Early recognition of subtle signs and symptoms of mental health problems followed by immediate treatment is an equally critical element to ensure the establishment of normal mental health throughout development.
Screening for depression: A must in NP practice
April 17th 2018Jane Mendle, PhD’s research at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, investigating the long-term psychological effects of early puberty has significant implications for our practices as pediatric nurse practitioners-and for all healthcare providers.
The fifth vital sign: Has this concept gone too far?
February 27th 2018Is the overwhelming problem of too many opioid and narcotic pain prescriptions related to the identification of ‘pain’ as the ‘fifth vital sign’? Was the intention for the designation, the ‘fifth vital sign’, an expectation that individuals would be pain free during hospital stays, eg, after a surgical procedure, or after visiting ambulatory centers for an injury?
Is the end of evidence-based guidelines near?
November 26th 2017Dr. Bass’ recent article in Contemporary Pediatrics, “Personalized medicine, right drug, right patient, right time,” provides a miniature but profound view of what may be the future of pediatric healthcare: focusing on healthcare that is truly individualized through precision science in the areas of diagnosis and treatment, rather than generalized, population-based treatment guidelines.
Revisit the “5 Rights” to avoid medication errors
October 23rd 2017I highly recommend reading his article, and then reflecting on your current office- and hospital-based practices surrounding prescribing medications for children to determine areas to apply these best practice initiatives in your personal work settings.
Opioids: The menace in our midst
September 24th 2017Opioids have impacted every population served by all healthcare providers in the United States and by now every nurse practitioner (NP) has been exposed to the opioid scourge. Perhaps it’s time to reassess the role for NPs in caring for their individual populations confronting an opioid crisis.
Get response ready for the anaphylactic moment
August 18th 2017Every nurse practitioner should review the AAP guidelines and include an action plan in each of their practice settings. All providers should communicate information to all school, camp, and field nurses who are often the first to assess a child presenting with symptoms of anaphylaxis outside a medical facility.
New AAP guidance addresses teens’ risky eating habits
June 25th 2017Goals for NPs caring for children and adolescents with weight problems are early identification and referral to treatment in order to prevent the well-known adverse effects the diagnosis of eating disorders places on the child, adolescent, and family members-and, in time, the overall health of the adult population.
Look through the lens of trauma
April 24th 2017Children in the foster care system are exposed early in life to adverse experiences by living within dysfunctional families and specific facts have not changed. What has changed is the recognition of the need for the healthcare system to change its care for these vulnerable children to prevent the adverse effects that traumatic stress imposes on their physical and emotional development and well-being.