PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Frank L Cole

Publications and source records attributed to Frank L Cole.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Fractured penis.

PURPOSE: To provide nurse practitioners (NP) with information concerning the uncommon occurrence of penile fracture, a review of the anatomy and physiology of the penile shaft, signs and symptoms to be included in assessment, diagnostic tests, treatment, and referral are discussed. DATA SOURCES: Current literature available in journals and textbook, and clinical experience. CONCLUSIONS: Penile fracture, although an uncommon incident, is an urgent condition that requires a urology consult and surgical repair. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Because of the serious nature of this injury and the potential for complications, NPs need to obtain an urgent urology consult when penile fracture is suspected or diagnosed. The characteristic typical clinical presentation usually eliminates the need for expensive or invasive tests for diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The role of the nurse practitioner in disaster planning and response.

Advanced practice nurses (APNs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) have provided health care services during disasters; however, little appears in the literature about their role. APNs and NPs represent a significant portion of the nursing workforce. This article focuses on critical factors to consider when preparing and planning for the role of NPs.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2005

Quality improvement and changes in diabetic patient outcomes in an academic nurse practitioner primary care practice.

PURPOSE: To examine a set of system interventions in the management of patients with diabetes and the outcomes of their care. DATA SOURCES: Preintervention and postintervention data collected from electronic medical records. CONCLUSIONS: The sample size was smaller than expected, contributing to a lack of statistical significance from preintervention to postintervention in the patient outcome measures. The systems-level variables that were under the direct control of the clinic staff (e.g., pneumococcal vaccine given) showed great improvement. In the preintervention period, the percentage of "yes" responses to the system-level variables ranged from 8 to 24 and jumped to 16 to 95 after the intervention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Unequivocally, this project demonstrated that systems-level changes result in improved care being provided to patients; however, these had minimal impact on the patient outcome variables. Promoting change in patient behavior is difficult, which may have contributed to the lack of significance in this area, while the variables under the direct control of the clinic staff were more easily changed.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed2004

The acute, nontraumatic scrotum: assessment, diagnosis, and management.

PURPOSE: This article reviews the acute, nontraumatic scrotal conditions of testicular torsion, torsion of an epididymal or testicular appendage, and epididymitis in order to assist the nurse practitioner (NP) with arriving at a diagnosis. Primary and emergency care management are presented. DATA SOURCES: Selected published literature in refereed journals and the authors' clinical experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Signs and symptoms of testicular pathologies can overlap, making diagnosis problematic. However, key features can raise the NP's index of suspicion for a particular diagnosis and can assist in selecting the most appropriate management strategy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Although these conditions are rarely fatal, they may carry a risk of morbidity in the form of testicular necrosis, infarction, or atrophy with concomitant infertility. Any patient with scrotal or testicular pain should be presumed to have testicular torsion until proven otherwise, as this condition carries a high degree of morbidity. The information gained through a thorough history and physical examination can assist in arriving at the proper diagnosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2003

Procedures taught in family nurse practitioner programs in the United States.

PURPOSE: To determine the most frequently taught procedures and how important it is to teach these procedures in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) programs in the United States according to FNP program directors. DATA SOURCES: Each of the 178 directors of FNP programs in the United States was mailed a survey to complete anonymously. The survey, designed for this study, listed 78 procedures. Directors were asked to indicate whether or not the procedure is taught in their FNP program and how important they think it is that FNP programs in the United States should teach that procedure. A total of 114 (64%) responded. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 10 of the 78 procedures were taught in 50% or more of the FNP programs. These procedures were: obtaining Papanicolau smears, testing visual acuity, audiometry, tympanometry, splinting of extremities, interpreting 12-Lead electrocardiograms, interpreting blood gases, local infiltration of anesthetics, single layer wound closure, and fluorescein staining of the eyes. The directors believed that six of these were very important to teach in FNP programs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings of this study can be used to plan course content related to procedures in new FNP programs or to revise course content in existing programs. The study results are helpful to individuals who develop continuing education courses to target skills that NPs may find valuable or may need for their current employment setting but were not taught in their educational programs.

Curriculum↗
PubMed2003

Emergency care. Advanced practice nursing in the US: an overview.

The CNS role preceded that of the NP in the United States. While CNSs have always been educated to master's degree level, NP education has been more varied although it is now predominantly at this level too. An APN with a master's degree in nursing can attend a post-master's degree certificate programme to obtain education in a new specialty area or to change roles. Emergency care is one clinical specialty area in which NPs and CNSs can obtain education specific to their area of practice. To function in the APN role, nurses must be licensed as registered nurses, have graduated from a NP or CNS educational programme and then have obtained state approval. Certification in the specialty may be required to obtain state approval. Nurse practitioners in emergency care have a scope and standards of practice although these are currently under development for CNSs in emergency care. Nurse practitioners function in roles where they provide direct patients care. Since the CNS role focus is improving nursing care, these individuals typically provide direct care to patients with complex health problems but also focus on care systems.

Credentialing↗
PubMed2003

Occupational health nurses' educational needs: what do they want?

Educational preferences, impediments to obtaining an education, and the needs of occupational health nurses are not well understood. The purposes of this regional study were to determine the graduate and continuing educational preferences, impediments, and needs of occupational health nurses in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Questionnaires (1,172) were mailed to all occupational health nurses identified by the respective state boards of nursing (N = 5). Results from 256 (response rate of 21.8%) returned questionnaires show 43.8% were interested in obtaining a graduate degree in occupational health nursing while only 48.8% of employers encourage them to obtain a higher degree. Only 33.2% reported the company for which they work provides rewards for obtaining an advanced degree or certification as an occupational health nurse. The two greatest impediments to obtaining a graduate degree as an occupational health nurse were a long distance from campus (56.3%) and lack of money (37.9%).

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Advanced practice nurses in emergency care settings: A demographic profile.

INTRODUCTION: Very little is known about clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners (advance practice nurses [APNs]) who practice in emergency care settings. The Advanced Practice Committee of the ENA sought to determine a profile of these individuals. METHODS: Surveys were distributed to all registrants at 2 ENA conferences and posted on the ENA Web site. This survey asked 17 questions concerning the demographic characteristics of the APN respondents (eg, education, experience, certification, state recognition, and practice area). The survey was completed by 166 APNs. RESULTS: APNs had considerable experience as ED registered nurses before becoming an APN. They obtained their APN education at the master's degree or post-master's degree level. State recognition was required for 89.2% of the APNs. The majority of APNs (61.4%) obtained their certification through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Nurse practitioners were predominantly family nurse practitioners (43%), and clinical nurse specialists were either critical care clinical nurse specialists (8.9%) or had other certifications (5.9%). APNs provided services in both the main emergency department and the fast track (45.7%) and were relatively new to their role as an APN. DISCUSSION: Consistent with current educational and certification requirements, the vast majority of APNs held a master's degree. Although relatively new to their role as APNs in emergency care, they were nonetheless very experienced as ED registered nurses. The majority of APNs were certified, even though that is not required for practice in all states. Continued research is needed to identify the most effective utilization of APNs, document their contributions to patient care outcomes, and develop strategies to meet their educational and practice needs.

Certification↗
PubMed2002

A profile of nurse practitioners in emergency care settings.

PURPOSE: To determine characteristics of nurse practitioners (NPs) who provide emergency care. DATA SOURCES: Descriptive cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 113 NPs in emergency care obtained from the online Resource Directory of Nurse Practitioners in Emergency Care. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of NPs in emergency care worked in facilities that were located in urban/suburban areas, were responsible for providing care in both the main emergency department and fast track area, held a Master of Science degree in nursing, obtained their education as a family nurse practitioner, and were certified as an NP by a national certifying agency. They were experienced registered nurses before becoming an NP but were relatively new to the NP role. IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study provide information about characteristics of NPs who provide emergency care.

Certification↗