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Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. NP Certification Exam Preparation and
Continuing Education Visit us on-line at: www.fhea.com
Volume XIII, Issue IV April 2013
As a newly prepared nurse practitioner (NP), you are to be congratulated on your success to date. After completing a rig‐orous graduate program, your days of study are not yet over but continue with a new focus. You need to continue to de‐velop, expand and refine your NP knowledge base to assure success with certification. But how do you do this? Here is ad‐vice I provide in response to commonly asked questions about preparing for certification. In preparing for the NP certification exam, where should I start? Start with reviewing the information on the exam content. Make a list of the areas where you feel your knowledge base is secure and where just reviewing material to refresh your memory will likely suffice. Also, make a second list where you identify areas of weakness and topics where you need to con‐centrate your review. If you have taken an NP review course, you are likely aware that the content of certain parts of the program were truly review, where other sections help to point out areas where you need to expand on your knowledge base. Knowing what areas you need to focus on helps you decide how to allocate your study time. (Study Plan: Continued on page 7)
Developing a Study Plan for the Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam
Inside this issue:
Q&A with Dr. Fitzgerald: Do the Certifying Bodies Offer Special Accommo‐dations for Completing the Exam?
2
Offer of the Month: 10% Off Pharmacotherapeutics: A Primary Care Approach
2
What our Customers Say 2
NP News in Brief: FDA Considers Tougher Restrictions on Prescrip‐tion Opioids
3
Upcoming Live On‐line Presentations 4
New and Updated Products 4
Comparing States Where NPs Practice With and Without Mandated Physician Collaboration, by Carolyn Buppert, NP, JD
4
FHEA 25th Anniversary Resort Destinations 5
Follow us on Twitter! 5
Come See Us in Person! FHEA Exhibit Locations 6
A Sample of Dr. Fitzger‐ald’s Speaking Engage‐ments
6
Getting Ready for the NP Certification Exam: A Free Live On‐line Presentation
8
FHEA Live Courses: Suture Workshop, PMHNP Review and more!
12
NP Certification Exam Review Courses
Family, Adult and AdultGerontology Primary Care Tracks
04/19/2013 Atlanta, GA
04/19/2013 Waterloo, IA
04/24/2013 Greenville, SC
04/26/2013 Charleston, WV
05/03/2013 Iselin, NJ
05/03/2013 Schaumburg, IL
05/07/2013 New Haven, CT
05/07/2013 Salt Lake City, UT
05/09/2013 Columbus, OH
Psych/Mental Health Track
05/22/2013 Boston, MA
Acute Care, AdultGerontology Acute Care Track
04/19/2013 Waterloo, IA
04/24/2013 Atlanta, GA
Click Here for More Information
05/09/2013 Tampa, FL
05/14/2013 Miami, FL
05/17/2013 Brookville, NY
05/14/2013 Omaha, NE
Continuing Education Programs
Pharmacology Update
07/23/2103 Cape Cod, MA
09/13/2013 Prague, Czech Rep.
Click Here for More Information
Suturing for NPs and PAs
06/15/2013 Milwaukee, WI
06/24/2013 Los Angeles, CA by Margaret A. Fitzgerald,
DNP, FNP‐BC, NP‐C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC
NP Certification Tracks
In accordance with the recent implementation of the Consensus Model for APRN Regulation, FHEA is offering the following NP Certification Exam Review
and Advanced Practice Update courses:
Family Adult‐Gerontology Primary Care
Adult‐Gerontology Acute Care
Adult Psychiatric/Mental Health Pediatric Women’s Health
Click Here for More Information
1 Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com
2
FHEA Offer of the Month
10% off
Pharmacotherapeutics:
A Primary Care Approach
Important System Update Information
Routine maintenance is scheduled for April 20, 2013. FHEA is committed to providing our customers maximum uptime, reliability and security for our On‐line Testing and Learning Site, www.fhea.com/npexpert. Regular
system maintenance is critical to achieving this goal and is normally performed the third Saturday of each month.
Question and Answer with Dr. Margaret A. Fitzgerald
Question: Does AANP or ANCC allow for special accom‐modations for extra time on their exams? Answer: The nurse practitioner (NP) certification or‐ganizations and their testing vendors will make reason‐able efforts to accommodate candidates with docu‐mented disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In order to be appropriately ac‐commodated, the NP certification candidate must com‐ply with the certifying agent’s procedure to ensure ac‐commodation. For example, one of the major NP certifi‐cation organizations requires that the NP certification candidate provide the following with the examination application; a report from a qualified health care profes‐sional that contains information about the specific diag‐nosis, current findings that support the diagnosis, date of the most current evaluation (must be within the last 3 years), date of initial diagnosis, and a description of the functional limitations resulting from the disability. Addi‐tional information that must be held in the report in‐cludes specific recommendations for the testing accom‐modation(s) including a detailed explanation of why the accommodation is needed. If the accommodation in‐cludes extra time, the report must indicate the specific amount of time needed. The agency reserves the right to request additional information after a review of the aforementioned reports.
Recently Added Course
Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam Review
and Advanced Practice Update
December 911, 2013 Waikiki, O’ahu, Hawaii
Presented by Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNPBC, NPC, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC
More information
Do the Certifying Bodies Offer Special Accommodations for Completing the Exam?
What FHEA Customers Say...
“I am an MSN‐FNP student from the University of Cincinnati. I was advised by my preceptor to take the FHEA seminar [NP Certification Exam Review and Advanced Practice Update] for board exam preparation. I attended a live seminar, bought the review book by FHEA and also received the course workbook. I studied and reviewed both for three months for about 3‐4 hours a day. I then passed AANP exam on my first attempt. About 80‐90% of the questions were similar to FHEA review questions and the rest were com‐mon sense questions. FHEA review helped me pass exam. Thank you very much!” —Messeret Tewolde, CNP, FNP
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Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com 3
NP News in Brief Nevada Bill Aims to Remove NP Practice Barriers A Nevada bill has proposed that the state’s nurse practitio‐ners (NPs) should be allowed to practice without physician oversight. Currently, there are 17 other states that allow NPs to practice independently. If the bill is passed, the 790 board licensed NPs practicing in Nevada have the authority to prescribe, treat, diagnose, and test patients without the supervision of a physician. They would also be able to oper‐ate their own practices. NPs and other proponents of inde‐pendent NP practice believe that passing this bill would lead to increased access to healthcare in Nevada at a time when the need for healthcare providers is increasing. Thus far, no state that has passed an independent NP practice legislation has repealed it. The Nevada State Board of Nurs‐ing is in full support of the bill. Read more FDA Considers Tougher Restrictions on Prescription Opioids The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently convened an advisory panel to review re‐strictions for prescribing opioids that contain hydrocodone, such as Vicodin. The majority of the panel recommended that harsher restrictions on prescribing opioids could help reduce the potential for abuse of these medications, which has become widespread in the US over the years. The pro‐posed restrictions include requiring hydrocodone refills to be granted through a new prescription and eliminating faxed or phoned‐in hydrocodone prescriptions. Other po‐tential restrictions include limiting opioid prescriptive au‐thority to physicians. Some suggested that prohibiting healthcare providers such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) from prescribing hydrocodone could reduce the availability, thereby curbing abuse. Others state that this could be detrimental to patients who suffer from chronic pain conditions, especially those in rural areas and those in nursing homes, as it could prevent them from receiving the treatment they need. It is believed that the FDA will follow many of the recommendations. Read more DNP Programs are on the Rise in North Carolina The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree option was recently approved at six public universities in North Caro‐lina. This fall, nursing students who wish to obtain a DNP will have the option to do so at East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, UNC
Charlotte, UNC at Greensboro, Winston‐Salem State Univer‐sity, and Western Carolina University. This degree option is already offered at Duke University and Gardner‐Webb Uni‐versity, two of North Carolina’s private universities, and various other public and private universities across the United States. According to the North Carolina Board of Nursing, there are 96,663 licensed registered nurses work‐ing in any nursing field in the state with 9,585 having earned an MSN and just 403 who hold a DNP. The DNP de‐gree is designed in part to provide advanced practice regis‐tered nurses (APRNs) such as nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, certified nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse specialists with an enhanced education in keeping with the complexities of healthcare provision. This push for the DNP degree coincides with recommendations in the In‐stitute of Medicine’s 2010 report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, which stated that the number of nurses with a doctorate degree should be dou‐bled by 2020. Read more
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com
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Comparing states where NPs practice with and without mandated
physician collaboration
I recently completed a project for a state where nurse practitioners (NPs) may introduce legislation to do away with the requirements for physician collabora‐tion. For one section of my report, I tallied the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) reports of actions against nurse practitioners in the 11 states where they are independent (using the National Council of State Legislators' list of states where NPs practice independ‐ently) and the 39 states where they are not, and calcu‐lated averages. I also calculated the averages for re‐ports against physicians in the 11 states where nurse practitioners are independent and the 39 states where they are not, and found the following: NPDB reports on NPs in independent states averaged 1:104 (one report for every 104 nurse practitioners). NPDB reports on NPs in collaborative/supervisory states averaged 1:124. NPDB reports on MDs in independent NP states aver‐aged 1:3.5. NPDB reports on MDs in collaborative/supervisory states averaged 1:3.5. I don't quite know what to make of these numbers. It appears that physicians are no more or less likely to have actions filed against them in states where NPs must collaborate. However, NPs in states with collabo‐rative requirements were slightly less likely to have an action filed with the NPDB.! What I found most striking is the very small percentage of NPs who get reported, as compared with physicians. For more information on the legal and business issues af‐fecting NPs and their employers, visit www.buppert.com.
by Carolyn Buppert, NP, JD
New and Updated Products
Pediatric Physical Assessment Cue Cards, 8th Edition
The Pediatric Physical Assessment cue cards will help guide you through the process of performing and verbalizing findings on a comprehensive child exam in addition to taking a comprehensive
child health history. This product is available for pur‐chase through our web store.
Adult Physical Assessment Cue Cards, 7th Edition
Adult Physical Assessment cue cards will help guide you through the proc‐ess of performing and verbalizing findings on a comprehensive adult exam in addition to taking a compre‐
hensive adult health history. This product is avail‐able for purchase through our web store.
This information was reprinted with permission from Carolyn Buppert, NP, JD.
Live Online Continuing Education Presentations
Date/Time Cost Presenter Title
June 4, 2013 8‐10 p.m. EST $18
Christy Yates, MS, FNP‐BC, NP‐C, AE‐C
Asthma in Adults and Adolescents: Are they at risk for exacerbation?
June 17, 2013 8‐10 p.m. EST $18 Victor Czerkasij,
MA, MS, FNP‐BC Best Practices in Skin Cancer
June 18, 2013 8‐10 p.m. EST $18 Victor Czerkasij,
MA, MS, FNP‐BC Issues of Darkly Pigmented Skin
June 19, 2013 8‐10 p.m. EST $18 Victor Czerkasij,
MA, MS, FNP‐BC
The Changing Faces of Acne and Rosacea
Order both sets of cue cards together and save! Click here for more information.
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April 2013
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Click Here for More Information
FHEA 25th Anniversary Resort Destinations
Learn about the latest in drug therapy with Dr. Margaret A. Fitzgerald as she
presents the FHEA Pharmacology Update in desirable resort settings.
Topics Include: Drug Update: New products, new indications, new warnings Pharmacogenomics: Exploring genetic variations in drug metabolism
Antimicrobial Update: A focus on treatment recommendations in urinary tract infections (UTI)
Prescribing in the Presence of Impaired Renal Function Depression: A primary care approach to assessment and intervention
As Seen on TV: What's in the OTC and herbal products your patients are taking?
Falmouth, Cape Cod, Massachusetts July 2324, 2013
Boscolo Prague Hotel Prague, Czech Republic September 1314, 2013
Following the FHEA Twitter page will provide you with up‐to‐date information on our course offerings and products. You can also use the FHEA Twitter to interact with us at our live courses, start conversations with your nurse practitioner colleagues, and discuss the latest
in healthcare news.
FHEA is on Twitter!
This conference is designed to meet the continuing education needs of advanced practice nurses. There will be an intense review and update of new pharmacological agents. Discussion of drugs and treatment modalities
relating to specific illnesses will be reviewed at length. Drug actions, indication for use, contraindications, and side
effects will be presented. Program content meets the State of Utah educational requirement for APRNs to maintain prescriptive privilege. This program is pending approval with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
Certificates will be available at the conference. Appropriate CE will be available for attendance.
Conference Objectives: Explain basic pharmacological and pharmacokinetic principles as they relate to devising a proper therapeutic regimen.
Select an appropriate therapeutic treatment plan for a given patient condition.
Determine appropriate use for new pharmacologic agents.
20th Annual Pharmacology Conference Sponsored by the Utah Nurse Practitioners
May 1718, 2013 Marriot City Centre Hotel
220 South State St Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Click Here for More Information or to Register
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Come see us in person! We will be exhibiting at the following locations:
Date Location
April 1114, 2013
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties 39th Annual Meeting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 1720, 2013
Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives Lexington, Kentucky
May 14, 2013 National Conference for Nurse Practitioners Annual Meeting Nashville, Tennessee
A Sample of Dr. Fitzgerald’s Upcoming Speaking Engagements
Date Location Topics
April 1114, 2013
National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties 600 Commonwealth Place Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
More information
April 26, 2013
Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing Pharmacology Update Bourbannais, Illinois
More information
May 14, 2013
National Conference for Nurse Practitioners Nashville, Tennessee
More information
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April 2013
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com 7
(Study Plan: Continued from page 1) As you study, please keep in mind that the NP certification ex‐amination tests your ability to know the following:
Why a patient is at risk for a problem. How a clinical problem has developed. What is the most likely clinical presentation of the condition? Why a given intervention is effective. How that intervention works. What is the most likely clinical outcome? Why this clinical problem is of significance to the overall healthcare system.
Therefore, a poor approach to preparing for the exam and practice is to memorize information so you know what to do but not why you are doing it, in both the exam room and as part of the larger healthcare system. A better approach to pre‐paring for the exam and practice is to understand concepts and apply knowledge so you know what to do and why you are do‐ing it. The FHEA NP Certification Examination Review and Advanced Practice Update prepares you in the why, how and what of NP practice, while helping to prepare you for success on the NP boards. How much time should I allow to prepare for my examination? This issue of time needed for certification preparation is unique to each exam candidate. That said, one of the major pitfalls in study is the failure to put aside the time to prepare. Map out the demands on your time in the first months after completing your NP program, including work hours, family, personal and professional commitments, as well as time you have perhaps set aside for a well‐deserved vacation. After do‐ing this, set up a schedule of study time, allot a greater amount of time to areas of knowledge deficit and less to areas of where you only need to refresh your knowledge base. Make sure you cover all areas listed as possible exam content. Plan your date for certification only after a period of well‐planned, systematic certification‐focused study. How should I organize my study time? Consider using an NP review course as the start of your study. Dates and locations for the FHEA NP Certification Exam and Advanced Practice Update course can be found here: http://fhea.com/store/browselive.aspx?Id=2. This program is also available on audio CDs, live on‐line, or on‐line recordings, more information can be found at: http://fhea.com/Store/browserecordings.aspx?Id=2. The Fitzgerald Method of NP review starts with a summary of the vast body of knowledge needed for evidence‐based NP practice and to successfully pass the NP boards. This summary is followed by sample prac‐
tice questions to help you hone your clinical decision‐making and test‐taking skills. Allow a minimum of 4‐6 weeks of planned study post review course to maximize your likelihood of success on this impor‐tant high‐stakes exam. Sit down with your calender and de‐velop a study schedule, 2‐3 hours at a time, 5‐6 days per week, giving yourself one day off a week so you do not feel trapped or overwhelmed. Then analyze what you have already re‐viewed, noting your stronger and weaker points. For example, if you really understand all the cardiac information and the NP review course was truly review, then you are set in this por‐tion of your study. If you are still struggling with thyroid is‐sues, then you know you need additional study in that area. While this seems obvious, often people who are studying for a high‐stakes exam gravitate back to the familiar as it is comfort‐ing to review what you know. Mark your areas of review to the schedule, i.e. ‐ Monday night, 7‐9 p.m., I will study thyroid dis‐ease using the Fitzgerald book and FHEA review materials; Tuesday, 4‐7 p.m., I will review health promotion using my class notes from my NP program as well as the Fitzgerald re‐sources. If you plan out that well, you will have a great handle on the test and, as importantly, your new practice. In addition to putting aside the time, setting up a system of study can further enhance the success of a review session. One method is the SQ4R system, where the study information is surveyed to established goals.
Questions about the information are formulated. What do you need to learn about this topic so that you have a firm grasp on the concepts? Are you able to consider the pathophysiology of a condition, how this manifests in the clinical presentation, and how a given intervention modifies or corrects the disease process?
Read to answer these questions. Study background in‐formation so you can correctly answer the questions above.
Recite the responses to the original questions. Consider writing up a short summary of what you have learned from your study.
Review to see if the original goals were met.
At this point, a series of practice exam questions is a great way to wrap up your study on a topic and demonstrate your mastery of the information. Post study, you should be scoring in the 85100 % range on practice questions. Use practice questions to wrap up, not start, your NP certification review. If you are not scoring well on practice questions, you need additional study of the content area associated with those questions. (Study Plan: Continued on page 9)
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com
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A Sample of Upcoming Speaking Engagements for FHEA Lecturers
Date Location FHEA Lecturers
May 14, 2013
National Conference for Nurse Practitioners Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center Nashville, Tennessee
Cliff Ashley, MS, LATC Bruce Askey, MS, ANP‐BC Linda Blasen, MS, ACNP‐BC, FNP‐BC
Victor Czerkasij, MA, MS, FNP‐BC
Susan Feeney, MS, NP‐C, FNP‐BC
Richard Fletcher, MS, FNP‐BC Louise McDevitt, MS, ACNP‐BC, ANP‐BC, FNP‐BC, FAANP
Monica Tombasco, MS, MSNA, FNP‐BC, CRNA
Sally Miller, PhD, ACNP‐BC, FNP‐BC, GNP‐BC, CNE, FAANP
Christy Yates, MS, FNP‐BC, NP‐C, AE‐C
Getting Ready for the NP Certification Exam
A FREE Live
On-line Presentation
Available Dates
07/09/2013 8-9:30 p.m. EST
10/14/2013 8-9:30 p.m. EST
Click Here for More Information or to Register
Join Dr. Margaret A. Fitzgerald for a free, 75-minute live on-line presentation on certification exam preparation and comparisons between the exams. Learn the best practices
for preparing for certification and what to expect on the exams with this webinar designed for NP students, recent
NP grads and practicing NPs who are not certified.
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education • (978)794-8366 • www.fhea.com
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Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com 9
(Study Plan: Continued from page 7) What about forming a study group? Study groups can be helpful and are a terrific ve‐hicle for sharing information and resources. Alter‐natively, study groups can yield a poor return on time invested if all members are not similarly committed. I hear about study groups that meet in person as well as groups who use technology such as Skype to meet. Here are some guidelines for forming a successful study group. All group members must treat attendance and participation as they would any other profes‐sional commitment, such as work or school. Well in advance, set a schedule, place and time to meet, as well as a topic for the meeting. Plan a start and end time, with a clear objective for the session. Study groups usually work best when a group member volunteers to research and present infor‐mation on a subject at a predetermined schedule. The presentation is typically followed with a dis‐cussion of the issue and review of sample exam questions and rationales for the correct response. The leader of a given session should also assume responsibility for keeping the discussion on track, facilitating the efficient use of time and resources. In order to help avoid the group deteriorating into a chat session, plan for a short period of so‐cialization following high‐yield study sessions. Here is an example of a session planned by a highly successful study group with three mem‐bers, Sarah, Ben and Helena. "The session will start at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. with the objective of identifying the clinical pres‐entation, assessment and intervention in commu‐nity‐acquired pneumonia. Sarah is the presenter and also group‐leader for the evening and is re‐sponsible for keeping us on track. A social period from 9‐9:30 p.m. will follow. We will meet at He‐lena’s apartment. Ben is responsible for refresh‐ments." I feel anxious just thinking about the NP certification exam! Stress yields anxiety, anxiety yields stress; one can be viewed as the product of the other. The stress of preparing for an important exam trig‐gers the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). With this SNS activation, the NP is focused during study. This is a helpful and normal response to preparing for a high‐stakes test.
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However, protracted stress can be exhausting and contributes to a lack of focus and difficulty study‐ing and test‐taking. Learn a relaxation technique to use prior to studying or test taking. Start the session by reading or repeating a positive mes‐sage about being successful on the exam. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeinated beverages that can add to anxious feelings. Eat a light but nour‐ishing meal containing complex carbohydrates, fruit and/or vegetables, and high quality protein to feed the body and mind prior to your study as well as the test. Avoid eating energy‐sapping foods that include excessive refined sugars and fat. Importantly, so‐called energy drinks and the like are typically loaded with caffeine and sugar, substances can negatively impact your ability to focus and should be avoided prior to study or the boards. The night before your test date, plan to spend a quiet evening reviewing a few crucial last points. Avoid cramming for the examination. Respect the work you have put into your NP studies by getting a good night’s sleep. What study resources do you recommend using? You likely have some helpful resources on hand. In particular, take out your health assessment text and use it to review health history taking and dif‐ferentiating normal from abnormal physical ex‐amination findings. Here is a list of additional re‐sources that will help in your exam preparation and practice. All resources listed are available to review and purchase at live FHEA NP Certification Review and Advance Practice Update courses as well as on‐line at www.fhea.com/store. A resource that will be helpful in developing test‐taking skills:
Sefcik, Donald. (2012) How to Study for Standardized Tests, Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Dr. Fitzgerald’s comprehensive study guide for NP review featuring more than 1,400 sample ques‐tions and 160 quick‐look tables:
Fitzgerald, M.A. (2010) Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination and Practice Preparation, 3rd Edition, Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
(Study Plan: Continued on page 10)
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com
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At FHEA, we sometimes receive complaints or concerns from customers who have purchased FHEA products or Dr. Fitzgerald’s book, now in its 3rd edition, from other online vendors and secondhand sellers. Of course, that’s what free enterprise is all about but it also means buyer
beware. Often the prices on these offers look good. However, what is being offered is either obsolete (there are newer, uptodate editions available) or the product is incomplete (these products don’t include NP review workbooks or access to the
online materials and lectures that are an integral part of the product). This can be a problem with all
forms of the product whether they be printed, recorded, or ebook formats.
To be certain you are getting the complete and latest editions of Fitzgerald products, please
shop through our store. When you do, our customer
service personnel will be happy to ensure your satisfaction
and we stand behind the products
Customer Service Notice
Store all your certification and license documentation dates and CE requirements.
Keep track of all your continuing education hours as they occur.
Contact Hour Tracker logs FHEA earned contact hours automatically.
Enter contact hours from any CE provider. Monitor deadlines and CE requirements for multiple
agencies. Track your progress toward contact hour goals. Set up electronic “alarm clocks” to receive automatic
e-mail reminders for all upcoming license and certification renewal dates.
Print contact hour summaries by category and source to help complete certification and license renewal paperwork.
Go to www.fhea.com/npexpert to register.
Never lose track of your certification, professional license and contact hour data again!
Thousands of your colleagues have already discovered this time-saving tool. Contact Hour Tracker is a no-cost internet service available
on FHEA’s NP Expert website.
Contact Hour Tracker
(Study Plan: Continued from page 9) Additional sources of practice questions for the family and adult NP certification examinations: Fitzgerald, M. A., Practice Tests for NP Certification, avail‐able at http://fhea.com/store/browsetests.aspx?Id=2&ProductId=0
Winland‐Brown, J. (2013) Adult and Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Examination: Review Questions and Strategies, 4th Edition, Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
Additional sources of practice questions for the acute care NP certification examination: Miller, S.K. (2010) Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certification Study Question Book, 2nd Edition, Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Resources which are particularly helpful for NPs sitting for specialty boards including the gerontological, women’s health and pediatric NP exams as well as the family, adult and adult‐gero NP candidates who would like additional practice ques‐tions in specific areas:
Kazer, M. (2011) Gerontologic Nurse Practitioner Certification Review, New York, Springer Publishing.
Kelsey, B. (2011) Midwifery & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Guide, 2nd Edition, Sud‐bury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Kelsey, B. (2011) Midwifery & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Certification Study Question Book, 2nd Edi‐tion, Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Silbert‐Flagg, J. (2011) Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Guide: Primary Care, 5th Edition, Sud‐bury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Silbert‐Flagg, J. (2011) Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Certification Study Question Book, 3rd Edition, Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
A helpful resource for honing high level assessment and differ‐ential diagnosis skills:
Goolsby, M. J. (2011) Advanced Assessment: Interpreting Findings and Formulating Differential Diagnoses, 2nd Edition, Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
(Study Plan: Continued on page 11)
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education • (978)794-8366 • www.fhea.com
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Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com 11
Join the Conversation Today!
What Our Friends Say on Facebook
(Study Plan: Continued from page 10) A helpful overall guide to primary care NP practice:
Cash, J. (2010) Family Practice Guidelines, 2nd Edition, New York, Springer Publishing.
A comprehensive guide to diagnostic imaging and laboratory di‐agnosis that uses an algorithmic approach to choosing the best study:
Ferri, F. (2009) Ferri’s Best Test: A Practical Guide to Clinical Laboratory Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging, 2nd Edition, St. Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences.
A clear, concise guide to laboratory diagnosis that uses an algo‐rithmic approach to choosing the best lab test:
Desai, S. (2009) Clinician's Guide to Laboratory Medicine: Pocket, Houston, TX: MD2B.
Fully illustrated in a unique format, this is one of the clinical re‐sources I find most helpful in my practice:
Habif, T. (2012) Dermatology DDxDeck, 2nd Edition, St. Louis: Elsevier Health Sciences.
The “go‐to” guide on the science and art of prescribing contracep‐tion:
Hatcher, R. (2011) Contraceptive Technology, 20th Edition, Dawsonville, GA: Ardent Media, Inc.
Two helpful guides for GYN care:
Hawkins, J.W. (2011) Guidelines for Nurse Practitioners in Gynecologic Settings, 10th Edition, New York, Springer Pub‐lishing.
Carcio, H., Secor, M. (2010) Advanced Health Assessment of Women Clinical Skills and Procedures, 2nd Edition, New York, Springer Publishing.
A must‐have resource for practice with nursing moms:
Hale, T. (2012) Medications and Mother’s Milk, 15th Edition, Amarillo: Hale Publishing.
Specially priced review course/book combo packages as well as student NP/new grad packages are available at: http://fhea.com/store/browseSOSP.aspx?SOSP=2 Conclusion Successfully passing your certification exam not only marks a critical rite of passage, but also tangible evidence of your consid‐erable achievement. Make sure you do all that is possible to maxi‐mize your likelihood of success. Click here for a full list of Fitzgerald Health’s NP Certification Exam Review and Advance Practice Update Courses
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education • (978)794-8366 • www.fhea.com
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April 2013
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc. • NP Certification Exam Preparation & Continuing Education (978) 794-8366 • www.fhea.com 12
Click here for more information about these and other courses
Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc.
85 Flagship Dr. North Andover, MA
01845‐6154 Phone: (978) 794‐8366 Fax: (978) 794‐2455 Email: [email protected]
Interested in advertising in this newsletter? Email: [email protected] Editorial Staff Publisher: Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP‐BC, NP‐C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC Managing Editor: Marc Comstock Editor: Jaclyn Fitzgerald Assistant Editors: June Kuznicki Jasmin Pastrana Technical Assistant: Bernice Flete Open Forum FHEA welcomes articles, news, com‐ments, and ideas from its readers! Please e‐mail: [email protected]. If you would like to contact customer service please e‐mail: [email protected]. We have sent this e‐mail newsletter in the hope that you will find it useful. If you prefer not to receive future issues, please e‐mail: [email protected]. Please include "Stop" as the subject of your email and your full name and the e‐mail address you wish to cancel in the body. If you received a copy of this newsletter from a friend, you can subscribe by sending an e‐mail to: [email protected]. Be sure to include your full name, mailing address, and daytime phone number so that we can confirm and authenticate your subscription.
The Art of Wound Repair: Suturing for NPs and PAs
Presented by: Robert Blumm, MA, PA‐C, DFAAPA
Earn 6 Contact Hours! The art of suturing is the process of preparation, thinking, documentation, taking a good history and physical examination, immunizing our pa‐tient, delivering proper local anesthesia, in addi‐tion to performing a professional suture. This full‐day course features the utilization of a pig’s foot, anesthesia tips, 4‐0 nylon suture, and a dispos‐able stapler. Dermabond and other products will be covered. We will start with the keystone stitch, and will move on to running sutures, horizontal mattress sutures, vertical mattress sutures, and running intra‐cuticular stitches. Malpractice pre‐vention techniques will help secure your future.
June 15, 2013 Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport Hotel 6401 South 13th St. Milwaukee, WI 53221
Psychiatric and Mental Health NP Certification
Exam Review and Advanced Practice Update
Presented by: Tess Judge‐Ellis, DNP, FNP‐BC, PMHNP‐BC
Earn 23.75 Contact Hours! This 2‐day course is available to NPs and NP students who are interested in getting a compre‐hensive review of psychiatric/mental health clini‐cal guidelines and those preparing for a psychiat‐ric and mental health certification exam. NPs will earn 23.75 contact hours that can be applied toward recertification, 11.75 of which are pharmacology related. The Fitzgerald NP Re‐view Method is the most comprehensive, current and convenient certification exam preparation available. This multi‐media course includes a workbook and hundreds of questions to help clar‐ify course content and hone test‐taking skills.
May 2224, 2013 The Westin Copley Place 10 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02116
Clinical Pharmacology for NPs and Advanced Practice Clinicians
Presented by: Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP‐BC, NP‐C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC Sally K. Miller, PhD, ACNP‐BC, ANP‐BC, FNP‐BC, GNP‐BC, CNE, FAANP
Earn 45 Contact Hours! This course addresses the growing need for a thor‐ough course in the principles of pharmacothera‐peutics. Because states’ requirements vary, it is important that you contact your state board of nursing for details regarding educational require‐ments for prescriptive authority. This course is also available on‐line. (Contact hours differ from the live course.)
Advanced Pathophysiology for NPs and Advanced Practice Clinicians
Presented by: Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP‐BC, NP‐C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC Sally K. Miller, PhD, ACNP‐BC, ANP‐BC, FNP‐BC, GNP‐BC, CNE, FAANP
Earn 45 Contact Hours! This course is review and updated bi‐annually to ensure up‐to‐date content. It is presented by highly acclaimed clinician‐educators who cur‐rently maintain clinical practice. Fitzgerald Health brings the highest quality pathophysiology pro‐gram to our customers. We believe our approach provides an advanced pathophysiology course that will meet your needs whether you are new to the profession or brushing up your pathophysiol‐ogy. This course is also available on‐line. (Contact hours differ from the live course.)
This course is scheduled live annually and is always avail‐able on‐line. Contact hours for the on‐line course differ from the live course.
This course is scheduled live annually and is always avail‐able on‐line. Contact hours for the on‐line course differ from the live course.
June 24, 2013 Los Angeles, California