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Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice: Tennessee

This morning, I'm excited to feature the scope of practice for NP's in my beloved state of residence, Tennessee. Not only does this great state feature a Dolly Parton-based theme park, the home of Elvis Presley and boast a spirit of volunteerism, Tennessee has pretty favorable laws toward NP's. Recent rankings show Tennessee is overall the 3rd freest state in our nation. Fortunately, this attitude of freedom and independence extends to state laws governing nurse practitioners.

Wanna Get Away? Summer CME Conferences

Is your continuing medical education allowance burning a hole in your pocket? Or, maybe you could just really use a getaway and the thought of an employer-funded vacay makes the idea even more alluring. Whatever your reason for attending a CME conference this summer, here are some excellent options to meet your educational and recreational needs.

140K NP Job Opportunity!

Looking for a job? While the job market is excellent for NP's, it can be difficult to find an opportunity that stands out above the rest. You may have found the perfect position, but with a low salary. Or, perhaps, the hours of the prospective employment opportunity don't meet your needs. I'm happy to report I've found an amazing NP opportunity promising both a high salary and excellent quality of life.

Medical Week in Review 5.17.13

Woohoo! Summer is here! I cannot wait for a weekend finally filled with sunshine. After much toiling, my yard is finally in presentable condition so I plan to host a backyard grill out with friends to show off my hard work. What are you up to this weekend? If you've got some free time between your warm weather activities, check out this week's more interesting medical links.

3 Common Misconceptions About Working in the ER

May 15, 2013

I get a wide variety of reactions when I tell people I work in the emergency department. Some people are immediately drawn in, eager for a conversation about my "craziest" stories. Others ask about my career cautiously saying they just couldn't handle all the blood. There are a lot of misconceptions about working in the ED, even among those considering the emergency nurse practitioner profession. Let's take a look at what life in the ER is really like by debunking a few myths.

A Sneak Peak into the World of NP Program Admissions

May 15, 2013

I've receive a lot of e-mails about the NP program admissions process from eager readers. Do experience or grades matter most? Why was I not admitted to my top program? What can I do to increase my chances of acceptance? I try my best to field these questions based on personal experience. But, I'm happy to say that yesterday morning over a fresh cup of coffee I had these questions and more answered by an NP program admissions expert.

A New Place to Store Your Licenses and Certifications

May 14, 2013

What does your file cabinet look like? I can't tell you what mine looks like- it won't open. If I was able to shimmy the file drawer out of it's frame, the ensuing explosion of tax returns, bank statements, NP licenses and old CME certificates would be enough to provoke a full-on panic attack. Fortunately, for my sanity, my employer is kind enough to remind me when a certification is about to lapse. Otherwise, my organizational system might put me out of practice.

Could Healthcare Reform Result in NP Unionization?

May 12, 2013

Democrat, Republican, Independent or indifferent, I think we can all agree healthcare reform has not brought the promised cuts to healthcare spending and clarity to health insurance plans it promised. Really, it has just made everyone mad- patients and providers alike. The stage is now set for healthcare providers to unite across party lines in their distaste for what is coming to healthcare.

Medical Week in Review 5.10.13

May 10, 2013

It's graduation weekend here in Nashville (as evidenced by my difficulty obtaining a date night dinner reservation for tonight). So, congratulations if you are graduating from your NP program this weekend! I wish you the best as you begin your new career. If, like me, you have less exciting plans than celebrating graduation, check out this week's most interesting medical stories...like "Is Farting in the OR Transmitting Germs?".

Nurse's Week Grand Finale Giveaway!

May 09, 2013

Yes, I realize there are two days left in Nurse's Week but I plan on using the weekend for some much needed R&R. So, let's celebrate the end of the week early. It's been a fabulous week of scrub fashion here at MidlevelU in recognition of nurses and I'm finishing the week off with one last giveaway. I decided to save my personal favorite product for the Nurse's Week Grand Finale.