The longer she has been an NP, the stronger her conviction becomes that NPs serve a unique role in healthcare. “There is a difference between the medical model of learning and practice, and the nursing model,” she says.
A significant focus of the NP profession is on providing education, Ms. Durkee says. “Because we all work on the floor before we go through NP training, we’re very used to doing education as part of the nursing role: teaching about everything from illnesses and medications to hospital admissions and discharge. Now, as an NP in rheumatology, I have come to enjoy that role even more because I’m equipping young patients to understand their conditions and treatments, so they can manage their diseases and overall well-being better.”
She also places an emphasis on mental health. “I spend a lot of time on mental health discussions, especially since the COVID pandemic,” she says. “That is particularly true with teenagers because they’re facing chronic health conditions on top of all of the regular teen issues,” she says.
That support extends to parents: “I also spend time with parents, so they know I’ve got their back and will do everything I can to encourage their child to make healthy choices,” Ms. Durkee says.
Advocacy
Having their back also means going to bat for patients and families through advocacy, Ms. Durkee contends. That may mean urging pharmaceutical companies to develop medications or study dosages for non-adult populations, pushing lagging state governments to give NPs the same
independence and autonomy they have in other states or advocating for patients and their families in any number of other ways. Advocacy is particularly evident in ARP activities and during NP Week, notes Ms. Durkee, who has served on several committees over the years.
“I enjoy being an NP, especially in rheumatology,” says Ms. Durkee. “No two days are alike. I am continually learning about conditions and treatments. I get to develop relationships with my patients and their families. I love my job.”
Leslie Mertz, PhD, is a freelance science journalist based in northern Michigan.
References
- Historical timeline. American Association of Nurse Practitioners. https://www.aanp.org/about/about-the-american-association-of-nurse-practitioners-aanp/historical-timeline.
- NP fact sheet. American Association of Nurse Practitioners. https://www.aanp.org/about/all-about-nps/np-fact-sheet.
- Nurse practitioner rheumatology workforce: Could this be you? American Association of Nurse Practitioners. 2019 Sep 4. https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/nurse-practitioner-rheumatology-workforce-could-this-be-you.
- Battafarano DF, Ditmyer M, Bolster MB, et al. 2015 American College of Rheumatology workforce study: Supply and demand projections of adult rheumatology workforce, 2015–2030. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018 Apr;70(4):617–626.
