The elevator speech: An overlooked networking tool.

ABSTRACT: One of the overlooked professional networking tools is the elevator speech. Nurse practitioners (NPs) should consider the elevator speech as equally important as their current curriculum vitae and professional biosketch. With advanced planning and practice, NPs can convey the who, what, why, and findings in less than 150 words to expand their network.

An early pop-up mpox vaccine clinic.

ABSTRACT: Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, emerged as a viral zoonotic disease in 2022. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic in July 2022. Through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's emergency use authorization, JYNNEOS became the dominant vaccine for prevention of mpox. California leads the nation in the number of U.S. cases, and the outbreak created opportunities for a nurse practitioner-led pop-up vaccination clinic in Los Angeles County. Interprofessional teamwork with pharmacists and public health officials increased the number of individuals vaccinated. By November, the WHO released operational planning guidelines. Nurse practitioners can use these guidelines in anticipation of the next pandemic.

Mpox in the United States: Current implications for public health nursing.

In 2022, mpox, an orthopoxvirus first isolated in 1958 in cynomolgus monkeys, became a global public health threat. While the virus can be communicated through skin-to-skin contact from any infected person to non-infected person, most cases in the United States have been in gay and bisexual men. Consequently, early public health and community-based efforts concentrated on reducing infections in this population. This article explores current mpox case count epidemiologic data and trends. In addition, vaccination indications, contraindications, adverse events, and national administration data are provided along with directions for nurses and other clinicians moving forward in the outbreak.

Engaging in meaningful discussion: What nurse practitioners need to know about retirement and end-of-life planning.

ABSTRACT: Nurse practitioners (NPs) should be knowledgeable about entering into meaningful conversations with clients about their retirement and end-of-life planning. Through knowledge of advanced care planning, NPs should be prepared to serve as a resource as clients develop life plans. Nurse practitioners should assess their practice for documenting client wishes that align with the 1990 Patient Self-Determination Act and advocate for changes in electronic record-keeping systems.

Demystifying the Institutional Review Board.

Perioperative nurses are responsible for generating and using evidence to improve patient care. To protect human participants during research activities, government regulations enacted after widely publicized research misconduct specify that institutions receiving federal funds must have an institutional review board (IRB) comprising at least five members. Board members have many responsibilities, including completing a thorough review of each section of the application and attachments (eg, consent documents). To expedite the IRB approval processes, applicants should create and submit a well-written application. Applicants should understand that the application addresses the important ethical concepts of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Quality improvement activities (ie, local activities that seek to improve patient care or clinical outcomes) differ from research activities that focus on creating new knowledge. Depending on the purpose, design, and generalizability of a quality improvement project, the applicant may need to submit the project to the IRB for approval.

Addressing the Gap, Advancing the Knowledge: Guidance for the Abstract Reviewer.

Conferences often offer a wide variety of informative podium, expert panel, and poster presentations. Conference planners use an abstract review process to select abstracts for the presentations. Although guidance exists for writing abstracts, much less information is available on reviewing abstracts and what constitutes an appropriate review. This article provides an overview of the role of an abstract reviewer and information that potential reviewers can use to improve the quality of their reviews. A competent reviewer should possess current knowledge of the profession and working knowledge of research methodology, data collection strategies, and analyses to assess an abstract. Abstract reviewers should consider the abstract in the context of the planned conference attendees, remain objective throughout the review process, and complete the review in a timely manner. Conference planners rely on objective reviews to ensure the selection of quality abstracts, which can lead to a successful conference that advances professional knowledge.

Implementation of the standardized, evidence-based three-stage suicide risk screening: Experience of a large Veterans Affairs medical center.

ABSTRACT: Suicide is a global public health concern and may be preventable with early identification. The suicide rate among US veterans is increasing. In response to the increase, Veterans Health Administration recommended a new standardized three-step, evidence-based suicide risk screening process across all Veterans Health Administration sites. The purpose of this project was to implement the new three-step suicide screening method and evaluate the rate of provider adherence. The implementation occurred in seven clinical sites in the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Health care System. Following initial implementation, two Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) evaluated provider adherence to the screening processes. Staff members at each site received suicide prevention education. Staff members had the option of using an embedded template in the course of normal patient care workflow. Plan-Do-Study-Act 1 measured the early results. Staff members achieved a performance adherence rate of 18%, indicating that staff were less likely to proactively screen for risk of suicide. In PDSA-2, the mandatory use of screening replaced the optional use. Staff members achieved a 95% adherence rate after 3 months. Changing the workflow within the electronic health record from optional to mandatory utilization brought forth improvements in suicide prevention screening.

Business documents of the advanced practice registered nurse: Curriculum vitae, resume, and biosketches.

Advanced practice nurses (APNs) now have great opportunities to serve in leadership positions for organizations, institutions of higher education, community and public agencies, and more. The need exists for APNs to have a full set of professional business documents readily available. Such common documents would extend beyond the professional business card and professional photograph to include the curriculum vitae, the resume, and the National Institutes of Health Biographical Sketch (biosketch) and a professional biosketch. Advanced practice nurses should understand the differences between the documents as each document helps to share the professional identity.

Understanding and Optimizing Tourniquet Use During Extremity Surgery.

Tourniquet use during extremity surgery is commonplace and a relatively safe practice. The surgical team's knowledge of the patient history, proper assessment, and indications and contraindications for and risks of tourniquet use can prevent unwanted outcomes. Exploration of these critical areas reinforces perioperative nurses' awareness and understanding of safe tourniquet use. Additionally, a review of the physiological effect of tourniquets on the skin, the body's response to local compression, the risk of vascular compromise, and the effect of the tourniquet on postoperative pain and swelling provides insight into AORN recommended practice guidelines. This article summarizes the indications and assessments for and risks of tourniquet use for patients during extremity surgery. An understanding of these topics can improve surgical outcomes and promote safe perioperative care.

Hypophosphatasia: A rare disorder.

Hypophosphatasia is a rare, progressive metabolic disorder inherited in either an autosomal dominant or an autosomal recessive fashion. Affected individuals may have unusual bone development. Infants may be diagnosed with infantile rickets. Symptoms then abate during adolescence, with bony abnormalities manifesting again as mid-life osteopenia or osteoporosis. Long-term management is focused on minimizing complications, so consultations and periodic visits with a variety of specialists is often warranted. New therapies are on the horizon, but some agents used to treat bone diseases are contraindicated in this population. At-risk relatives should be referred to genetic professionals to determine mode of inheritance and discuss options.