Educational Outcomes
The outcomes data from continuing education (CE) activities developed by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) provides valuable information on current clinical gaps and provides guidance for future AANP CE endeavors.
For all AANP-developed CE activities, the Education Department applies a conceptual framework for higher-level outcomes assessment, developed by Donald E. Moore Jr. of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. AANP CE activity outcomes are measured via a variety of methods — including pretests, post-tests, evaluations and post-activity impact surveys, as applicable — which allows AANP to quantify knowledge acquisition and confidence in learners from preactivity to post-activity. For clarity and consistency, AANP aligns with the Outcome Standardization Project’s definitions when reporting data.
Listed below are preliminary and final outcomes summaries from projects spanning a variety of therapeutic areas relevant to primary care and specialty nurse practitioners (NPs).
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Cardiology
Managing Heart Failure: Implications of Guideline Changes for Clinical Practice
Faculty: Leslie Davis, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FPCNA, FAHA, FAANP, and Mary Ellen Roberts, DNP, RN, APNC, FAAN, FAANP.
This live and on-demand activity was designed to inform NPs of patient selection criteria, dosing and practical considerations for use of valsartan/sacubitril, an angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), and ivabradine, a sinoatrial node inhibitor. It also reinforced the use of Guideline Directed Medical Therapy and assisted the provider in devising strategies that promote treatment adherence.
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Dermatology
Injectable Cosmetic Treatments and the Nurse Practitioner: The Intersection of Patient Desires, Clinical Evidence and Professional Satisfaction
Faculty: Beth Haney, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, and Heather Roebuck, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP.
This enduring, audio-visual presentation provides the NP with strategies to identify appropriate candidates for nonsurgical cosmetic procedures and outline safety and efficacy considerations. Additionally, this activity featured video demonstrations of specific injection techniques on real patients.
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Endocrinology
Improving Care and Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nurse Practitioner-led Charge for Overcoming Insulin Inertia
Faculty: Frances M. Sahebzamani, PhD, ARNP, FAANP; Shannon Idzik, DNP, CRNP, FAANP, FAAN; Angela Thompson, DNP, FNP-C, BC-ADM, CDE, FAANP; Cammie L. Hauser, MSN, APRN, CNM, FNP-C; and Amy Burdette, PhD.
AANP and medical education partner Med-IQ developed a multiphase intervention designed to connect 18 NP-led practices with expert faculty mentors via a 30-minute, CE-accredited teleconference to coach them on best practices and actionable strategies to successfully overcome barriers related to intensification of therapy and selection of optimal insulin for patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).
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Infectious Disease
A Case in the Life: COVID-19
Faculty: Paula Tucker, DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-C, FAANP, and Bob Smithing, MSN, FNP, ARNP, FAANP.
This activity was a three-part webinar series on COVID-19. Each webinar offered a PowerPoint presentation and a tracer case study that followed the patient from primary care to the emergency department and back to primary care. The live webinar activities were offered in July 2020, October 2020 and February 2021 and each included a question-and-answer (Q&A) session with the faculty. The activities were available on demand in the AANP CE Center for four to 10 weeks after the live presentation.
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Obesity Management
Transforming Health Care for the Patient With Overweight and Obesity
Faculty: Angela Golden, DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, and Sandra Christensen, MSN, ARNP, FOMA.
The goal of this activity was to provide NPs with the most current, evidence-based information for the patient-centered management of obesity with an ultimate goal of improved health and quality of life for patients having overweight and obesity.
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Pain Management
Safe Opioid Prescribing Series: How to Safely and Effectively Treat Pain in Primary Care
Faculty: Randall Hudspeth, PhD, MBA, MS, APRN-CNP/CNS, FRE, FAANP, NEA-BC, and Theresa Towle, DNP, FNP-BC, CNRN.
This on-demand educational intervention was designed to assist NPs in rural areas, private practice, or smaller settings not affiliated with larger organizations or health care systems who are not familiar with the current national treatment and prescribing guidelines. AANP jointly developed this activity with the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium under the Nurse Practitioner Support & Alignment Network (NP SAN), funded by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).
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Psych and Mental Health
Major Depressive Disorder: Screening Strategies and Treatment Options for the Nurse Practitioner
Faculty: Dr. Brayden Kameg, DNP, PMHNP-BC, CARN, CNE
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common mental disorder in the United States, accounting for an average of 8 million ambulatory care visits per year. However, despite the morbidity and mortality associated with MDD and the considerable toll on productivity and quality of life, many patients are not appropriately screened for MDD, and they do not receive adequate treatment. Through a combination of live, case-based scenarios and didactic content, this activity was designed to provide the NP with valuable tools to care for patients with depression in the primary care setting.
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Pulmonary and Respiratory
Influenza Update and Review
Faculty: Ruth Carrico, PhD, DNP, APRN, CIC.
This enduring, audio-visual presentation provides the NP with education on preventing and treating influenza in the outpatient setting, including precision vaccination and current guidelines for antiviral treatment. Case studies aid the learner in applying the knowledge they have gained using real-life clinical scenarios, and whiteboard animation videos illustrate key information in an entertaining format.
This activity is available in the AANP CE Center until May 31, 2021.
Outcomes for Strategies to Facilitate Smoking Cessation (Final Report)
Faculty: Joelle Fathi, DNP, RN, ARNP, NCTTP
Dr. Fathi guides the learner through smoking cessation counseling and pharmacotherapy in this activity. Role playing vignette videos allow the learner to see counseling techniques applied to a case scenario.