ANEW Project to Develop and Support Rural Primary Practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-99
Author(s):  
Nicole Ann Gibson ◽  
Brandi Pravecek ◽  
Linda Burdette ◽  
LeAnn Lamb

South Dakota is one of the nation’s most rural and frontier states and has the highest proportion of rural dwellers in the Midwest.  Many of the state’s counties suffer from provider shortages, with nurse practitioners increasingly being called upon to fill the role of the primary care provider in clinics and critical access hospitals. However, family nurse practitioner (FNP) education programs are not required to provide the training and skills necessary to meet the unique challenges of rural practice. An Upper Midwest land grant university prepares both masters and doctoral FNP students to fill primary care provider needs in South Dakota and the surrounding region. The purpose and scope of this two-year Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) project was to enhance an existing academic/practice partnership to prepare primary care advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students for practice in rural and/or underserved settings in the state and region. The ANEW project provided FNP students with a longitudinal primary care clinical traineeship experience in rural clinical settings. Trainees benefited from traineeship funds, learning advanced procedures and skill concepts through attendance at a series of educational workshops, and job placement efforts postgraduation. The ANEW project also provided for a comprehensive preceptor development collaborative designed to enhance competence and confidence for independent rural practice and facilitate job placement in rural communities after graduation. This project strengthened the quality of FNP education through an academic/practice partnership which resulted in a symbiotic, synergistic relationship to address rural work force supply and the identification of the knowledge and skills needed for current and future rural healthcare providers. Keywords: family nurse practitioner, education, preceptor, academic, practice partnership, rural primary healthcare, healthcare provider shortage DOI:  https://doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v21i1.649 

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Mykell Barnacle ◽  
Allison Peltier ◽  
Heidi Saarinen ◽  
Christine Olson ◽  
Dean Gross

Background and objective: Recruitment and retention of primary care providers are projected to worsen in rural regions. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are a crucial solution to the shortage of primary care providers in rural America. Little research exists regarding factors influencing new NPs’ decisions to practice in rural settings, as well as practice readiness. The purpose of this study is to explore factors influencing new NPs’ decision to practice in rural settings.Methods: A survey of family nurse practitioner (FNP) graduates in a rural state was conducted. The survey measured rural background, current practice environment, the impact of rural clinical experiences on readiness to practice, and perceptions of rural NP practice.Results: The data collected over five years (N = 42) indicated several factors that influenced an NP’s decision to choose a position in a rural or underserved setting. A wide scope of practice, rural roots, a desirable job offer, and strong relationships were influential when choosing rural practice.Conclusions: Most respondents (69%) were not practicing in rural or underserved areas. Among those who were, the ability to practice to the full scope of education and autonomy were the most important factors. However, respondents were also apprehensive and intimidated with the broad skill set required in rural care. Implications: This study provides insight into factors and barriers for new graduate NPs in choosing a rural practice setting as well as possible solutions to the rural workforce shortage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272110002
Author(s):  
Tarika Srinivasan ◽  
Erica J. Sutton ◽  
Annika T. Beck ◽  
Idali Cuellar ◽  
Valentina Hernandez ◽  
...  

Introduction: Minority communities have had limited access to advances in genomic medicine. Mayo Clinic and Mountain Park Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Phoenix, Arizona, partnered to assess the feasibility of offering genomic screening to Latino patients receiving care at a community-based health center. We examined primary care provider (PCP) experiences reporting genomic screening results and integrating those results into patient care. Methods: We conducted open-ended, semi-structured interviews with PCPs and other members of the health care team charged with supporting patients who received positive genomic screening results. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Results: Of the 500 patients who pursued genomic screening, 10 received results indicating a genetic variant that warranted clinical management. PCPs felt genomic screening was valuable to patients and their families, and that genomic research should strive to include underrepresented minorities. Providers identified multiple challenges integrating genomic sequencing into patient care, including difficulties maintaining patient contact over time; arranging follow-up medical care; and managing results in an environment with limited genetics expertise. Providers also reflected on the ethics of offering genomic sequencing to patients who may not be able to pursue diagnostic testing or follow-up care due to financial constraints. Conclusions: Our results highlight the potential benefits and challenges of bringing advances in precision medicine to community-based health centers serving under-resourced populations. By proactively considering patient support needs, and identifying financial assistance programs and patient-referral mechanisms to support patients who may need specialized medical care, PCPs and other health care providers can help to ensure that precision medicine lives up to its full potential as a tool for improving patient care.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily A. Croce ◽  
Fabiana C. P. S. Lopes ◽  
Jennifer Ruth ◽  
Jonathan I. Silverberg

Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Mayne ◽  
Chloe Hannan ◽  
Jennifer Faerber ◽  
Rupreet Anand ◽  
Ella Labrusciano-Carris ◽  
...  

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 855
Author(s):  
Omar Farooq ◽  
Ameer Farooq ◽  
Sunita Ghosh ◽  
Raza Qadri ◽  
Tanner Steed ◽  
...  

Background: Digital rectal examination (DRE) is considered an important part of the physical examination. However, it is unclear how many patients have a DRE performed at the primary care level in the work-up of rectal cancer, and if the absence of a DRE causes a delay to consultation with a specialist. Methods: A retrospective patient questionnaire was sent to 1000 consecutive patients with stage II or stage III rectal cancer. The questionnaire asked patients to recall if they had a DRE performed by their general practitioner (GP) when they first presented with symptoms or a positive FIT test. Demographic data, staging data, and time to consultation with a specialist were also collected. Results: A thousand surveys were mailed out, and a total of 262 patients responded. Of the respondents, 46.2% did not recall undergoing a digital rectal examination by their primary care provider. Women were less likely to undergo a DRE than men (28.6% vs. 44.3%, p = 0.019). While there was a trend towards longer times to specialist consultation in patients who did not undergo a DRE (27.0 vs. 12.2 weeks), this was not statistically significant (p = 0.121). Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients who are FIT positive or have symptomatic rectal bleeding do not recall having a DRE by their primary care provider. Barriers may include lack of comfort with performing DRE or lack of time. Clearer guidelines and more support for GP’s may increase uptake of DRE.


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