PNP Corner

Over the past several months, we have received information from news reports, local and state departments of health, and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the Zika virus, a mosquito-transmitted disease, and the devastating outcomes experienced by some pregnant women who contracted the Zika virus during pregnancy.

The Millennial generation grew up using computers in classrooms and at home, thus they embrace a world full of technology that excites, providing instant feedback, gratifications, sometimes sadness, and rapid changes in their everyday world.

Because it requires forging alliances among all pediatric providers to initiate and effectively change policies to provide quality healthcare for all children and adolescents, this is a tough one: a collaboration that may not be embraced by everyone.

As always, one look at the statistics for any childhood chronic illness, but in particular asthma, and we know we need to do better.

In the article, Talking to Teens about Marijuana, Ms Nierengarten reported national statistics that reveal the number of teenagers who self report using marijuana: the statistics are STAGGERING!

Imagine living in a world where you cannot hear anything: your mother’s loving voice, your siblings’ laughter, normal environmental sounds and music, someone standing behind you and calling your name.

Caring for the medically complex neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates is a challenge for everyone: the very stressed parents and family members, physicians, physician specialists, nurse practitioners, nurses, and early intervention specialists including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and education specialists.

‘Itch-scratch-itch’….is a typical chief complaint for many children who present to the pediatric primary care office. The infant is irritable and the mother wants the infant to stop being irritable; the child, or adolescent wants to stop ‘feeling itchy’; and their parents want medications that will immediately return the skin to normal. What a dilemma!

Busy PNPs and their fellow pediatric-focused APRNs recognize how important, yet sometimes difficult it is to maintain current clinical practice in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. NAPNAP is pleased to announce our new partnership with Contemporary Pediatrics.