Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
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J Am Acad Nurse Pract · Dec 2011
Finding electronic information for health policy advocacy: a guide to improving search results.
The success of advanced practice registered nurses' (APRNs') health policy advocacy depends on staying well informed about key issues. Searching for high-quality health policy information, however, can be frustrating and time consuming. Busy clinicians need strategies and tips to reduce information overload and to access synthesized research for evidence-based health policy. This article therefore offers APRNs practical guidelines and resources for searching electronic health policy information. ⋯ Expertise in searching electronic health policy information is a prerequisite for developing APRNs' leadership in political arenas to influence health policy and the delivery of healthcare services.
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J Am Acad Nurse Pract · Sep 2011
ReviewThe feasibility and effectiveness of emergency department based hypertension screening: a systematic review.
Hypertension is a highly prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and its early identification and management results in reductions in morbidity and mortality. Our objectives were to: (1) determine the extent to which the emergency department (ED) has been used to screen patients for undiagnosed hypertension; (2) estimate the incidence of undiagnosed hypertension in the ED population; (3) identify and describe the programs for ED hypertension screening; and (4) determine the feasibility of ED-based hypertension screening programs and the requirements for further study. ⋯ Nurse practitioners in the ED should identify patients with elevated BP, provide hypertension education, and ensure appropriate intervention and referral.
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To provide an overview of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, and treatment with advanced practice nursing implications of black-spot poison ivy phenomenon. ⋯ An understanding of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, treatment, and management of this rare phenomenon is important for the nurse practitioner (NP) to be able to make an accurate diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment without delay. The NP's recognition and differentiation of it from other skin disorders including melanoma is paramount.