It’s COPD Awareness Month – What You Should Know
By Corinne R. Young, MSN, FNP-C, FCCP Every November, members of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) community come together to spread awareness and education regarding COPD. This is a condition in which the airways and/or air sacks of the lung have been permanently and irreversibly damaged, causing a combination of symptoms that could include difficulty […]
Proper Care for Diabetes Sick Day Management
By Angela Thompson, DNP, FNP‐C, BC‐ADM, CDCES, FAANP One of the fundamental skills in diabetes management is problem-solving as it relates to acute illness, or sick day management. This includes understanding the recommended adjustments in glucose monitoring, diabetes medications and diet, as well as controlling acute illness symptoms and knowing when to contact your health care […]
Breast Cancer: Find It, Fight It!
By April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP- BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when our nation comes together to honor survivors, remember loved ones lost to breast cancer and pledge our support and commitment to continue the fight to stop breast cancer. In the United States, approximately 316,000 […]
National Healthcare Quality Week
By April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP- BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN National Healthcare Quality Week (NHQW) celebrates the contributions that health care professionals make to improve health care quality throughout the United States. This NHQW, let’s celebrate nurse practitioners (NPs) and the patients who choose them. The nation’s 325,000 NPs deliver high-quality health care in […]
Healthy Steps for Healthier Lives and Lungs
By Annie Perng, MSN, CRNP, CWOCN Prior to becoming a pulmonary nurse practitioner (NP), I worked as a bedside nurse on a lung transplant unit. Over several years, I got to know people who had struggled with tobacco dependence, severe environmental allergies, sleep-disordered breathing and lung conditions that made them more prone to serious respiratory […]
World Suicide Prevention Day Is September 10
By April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP- BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a day that aims to raise awareness of suicide, reduce associated stigmas and encourage worldwide action to reduce the number of global suicides and suicide attempts. Suicide is a growing health problem around the world. According to […]
August 31 Is International Overdose Awareness Day
By April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP- BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, a global event that aims to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died or are permanently injured and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. This day raises awareness of the issue and […]
August Is Summer Sun Safety Month: Are You Protecting Your Skin?
By April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP- BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN Summer is in full swing; vacation season is well underway; and time at the pool, the beach or the park is at the top of everyone’s list. With more time outdoors, it’s important to protect yourself and your family from the harmful effects of […]
Racial Equity in Minority Mental Health: Empowering Change
By Linda Washington-Brown, PhD, EJD, MSN, PNP, ANP-C, FNP, FAANP, FAAN July is Minority Mental Health Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 51 million Americans over the age of 18 reported having a mental illness. There are currently more than 200 classified types of mental illnesses, but some of the main types are: Anxiety […]
This Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Know That You Are Not Alone
By Irene W. Bean, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FAANP July is Minority Mental Health Awareness month, and with the renewed focus on systemic inequalities, this topic is in urgent need of attention. Mental health issues affect every demographic, but it is especially prevalent for us working and living in minority communities. Systemic problems such as food […]