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Advanced Practice Recruiters (APRx) specializes in direct hire and locum tenens of healthcare providers, such as, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, CRNAs, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nursing Managers and Directors. Our Specialty is Your Career... www.AdvancedPracticeRecruiters.com

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

When addressing both Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants what term should be used? Give your opinion on our poll http://ow.ly/1sQLb
AOL says Today's 20 Fastest-Growing Occupations: 7. Physician assistants. Congrats PAs! http://ow.ly/1sBO7

Monday, March 29, 2010

Lines to the physican to get significantly longer. Claim your physician now! Read more at our blog: http://ping.fm/VMPE2

Friday, March 26, 2010

blogged: http://ping.fm/xy5O5 - Nurse Practitioners' View of Health care Reform

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Twitter becoming essential tool for docs | Healthcare IT News

Tweet doctors? Really!!? Could your doctor start communicating with you via Twitter. I don�t think so�

However, a poll conducted by Case Western University showed 59% of percent of doctors who participated in the poll said that Twitter would become an integral part of the way doctors communicate with patients and other medical professionals.

image

Here is a another perspective taken from the news story in Healthcare IT News:

Doctors don't generally use Twitter to give medical advice but to guide the public to reputable sources of information or share breaking medical news, said Kevin Pho, MD, in a post on his medical blog, www.KevinMD.com

Pho conducted a similar poll in Aug. 2009, asking medical professionals how they used Twitter. He found that about 45 percent did not use the service at all. Thirty-six percent said they used it to share and keep up with news and information and only 1.5 percent said they used it to connect with patients.

Read the full article here

Twitter becoming essential tool for docs

So I guess I could be wrong on this one, but we�ll just have to wait and see. How do you plan on using social media tools like Twitter? We�d like to know. Post a reply here or reach out to us at:

Advanced Practice Recruiters

Blake Moser

blake@aprx.net

888-812-3452 ext. 707

blogged: http://ping.fm/Mv4AT - Twitter becoming essential tool for docs | Healthcare IT News
blogged: http://ping.fm/DnjAN - Twitter becoming essential tool for docs | Healthcare IT News

Monday, March 22, 2010

blogged: http://ping.fm/omrjH - Review of Baker�s Mentoring�A Complex Relationship

Review of Baker�s Mentoring�A Complex Relationship

Barker, E. (2006). Mentoring�A complex relationship. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 18(2), 56-61.

Baker's Abstract: To address the process of mentoring the advanced practice nurse (APN) and provide suggestions for the formulation, implementation, and termination of the relationship. Data sources: Research studies from nursing as well as other disciplines and personal experience as a mentor and prot�g� . Conclusions: Mentoring is a dynamic and complex relationship that can support growth, increase synergy, and develop ways to succeed as an APN. Before entering into the relationship, care should be taken to assure compatibility between the mentor and the prot�g� . Major pitfalls include poor communication patterns and inadequate identification of objectives. Keys for repair or termination of the relationship include personal introspection, honest and nonblaming communication, and development of alternative support networks. Implications for practice: Successful mentoring relationships improve professional growth, competency, and productivity. They also form the basis for ongoing preparation of a new generation of APNs.

The Author believes that this article is important to students of Adult Learning due to the specific focus of mentoring as a tool for creating a learning environment and career advancement. This article focuses on a unique profession, Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) or Nurse Practitioners (NP). Unique because they were working as RNs while continuing their formal education to become APNs; crossing the lines of what Human Resource Development (HRD) defines as traditional learning and adult learning. For those studying Adult Learning Baker's article offers insight into a profession that begins clinical practice as a novice, but with the work history of an expert. So how does someone who has practical experience and formal education enter into a profession and continue the momentum of learning? Baker expresses the benefits of mentorship as one possibility. She explores the definition of the mentoring relationship and how to build a foundation for this arrangement. This article is of particular interest to the author due to its relative continent to his profession as a recruiter for Advanced Practice Nurses, and as Baker points out, "Although mentoring of the undergraduate nursing

student has been well explored, the mentoring of the advanced practice nurse (APN), particularly after graduation, is not well documented in the literature (2006)."

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Baker begins her article by stating, "Mentoring is a process designed to bridge the gap between the educational process and the real-world experience." She provides some history of mentoring, pointing out that one of the first descriptions of the mentoring process is found in Homer's Odyssey where the transformation from boy to man of Odysseus' son, Telemachus, is lead by Athene and is used as an allegory for the process of maturing and taking command of difficult situations (Baker references Lattimore, 1965). Mentoring is further described as a planned relationship between an experienced person and one who has less experience for the purpose of achieving identified outcomes (Dorsey & Baker, 2004). Baker (2006) states that, "In nursing, mentoring has been defined as a situation that promotes personal and professional development in which general well-being is enhanced, synergy is increased, new insights are gained."

Baker justifies the need for her article by stating that in nursing mentoring is often not a formalized process, and referenced that Marquis and Houston (2000) contend most nurses will be lucky if they have one or two true mentors in their entire career. A study by Freeman (2004), referenced by Baker, of 565 APNs entering into the clinical setting after graduation; only 35% reported they had been assigned mentors, 6% were sought by a mentor, 23% of the APNs sought a mentor, and17% indicated that they entered into a mentoring relationship by ��chance.�� One interesting fact of the study showed that 19% of the APN�s were unable to identify the genesis of the mentoring relationship. And yet, despite the low percentages of APNs who began their practice in a mentoring relationship the study proved these mentored APNs were, "better able to meet the primary care system's productivity demands (Freeman 2004)."

Baker then describes a mentoring relationship as being different than the relationship with a preceptor or physician consultant. She states that the later two are more short-term in duration and differ in the overall purpose of the relationship. Although commonalities do exist such as a neophyte learning from one with greater experience, the mentoring relationship is said by Baker to be one where a APN learns a particular procedure or skill and then moves on to another preceptor to learn yet another aspect of clinical practice. And, the physician consultant is said by Baker to be, in most cases, a regulatory agreement for the purpose of state compliance and not a relationship of directing one practitioner to become more advanced in clinical skills.

The article then discusses the need to set up proper expectations for the mentoring relationship and matching a mentee and mentor. An important element of the expectation for

success is that the mentoring relationship is a bidirectional undertaking that should include the review of influences of a mentoring dyad created in 1983 by D. E. Kram. The dyad's critical influences are, interpersonal expertise, ability to communicate, and listening skills of

both parties. Baker's article explains how one might go about preparing for a successful mentoring relationship maintaining that communication and one's attitude are key. She summarizes that skillful communication, mutual commitment, and a willingness to support mutual growth are important components of successful relationships. Baker takes the discussion a bit further by addressing what to do if the mentoring relationship has become problematic. Outlining the major pitfalls as poor matching of the dyad, lack of expertise, poor communication patterns and inappropriate identification of the objectives and expectation for the relationship by either the mentor or mentee.

In her conclusion, Baker states, "mentoring is a dynamic and complex relationship that has the potential for increased synergy and successful personal and professional development." But she warns that before entering into the partnership the practitioners should identify and mutually agreed upon expectations.

From the author's perspective there are many practical applications within this article. It is written by an Advanced Practice Nurse who is a the director of a family nurse practitioner program at the Ohio State University College of Nursing in Columbus, OH and from the perspective of one who has practiced in a clinical setting as a novice and is still practicing in the clinic today. Her perspectives enhance the practical applications of her report, starting with informing the reader of what a mentorship is to a Nurse Practitioner and how it is not a preceptorship or a physician consultant relationship. Baker's defining characteristics are incredibility helpful in determining if the relationship has been established in the model of a mentorship stating, mentoring relationship is a, "bidirectional undertaking," with defined expectations for the outcome of the relationship. Addressing that it is not short-term in nature, yet mentorships are not appropriate for environments where continued employment is desired.

Baker's article is one of the best overviews of mentorship reviewed by the author, in that she covers the relationship from start to finish and what is needed to build the relationship in the right way. Baker's complete assessment even includes a section devoted to identifying a mentorship that is not working, and what to do about it in order to salvage a positive relationship and any desired results from the mentoring relationship.

Perhaps one of the most beneficial aspects of Baker's article is that she identifies the role of both the mentor and the mentee, describing the attributes of each and how both mentors and mentees can contribute to the success or failure of the mentorship. The author found Baker's discussion of matching the mentor and mentee using the dyad. She outlines the characteristics or attitudes to avoid in mentors and mentees. This information is excellent for practitioners of Adult Learning to identify the red flags of mentors or mentees who have the wrong attitudes or perceive the relationship for something other than what it is meant for.

Lastly the author believes that Baker could have improved upon the article by providing some of her own case studies describing a situation where a mentorship was a success and another where it was a failure. Baker could build upon her efforts by offering original research and reporting her own findings more that referencing the works of others.

Baker does offer a foundation for many opportunities for HRD professionals and Advanced Practitioners. Research opportunities could include effects of mentorships on the learning environment, the success ratios of practitioners who are mentored compared to those who were not mentored, and perhaps even further exploration of the differences between the relationships of mentorships and that preceptorship and physician consultation.

by Blake Moser

Advanced Practice Recruiters

888-812-3452 ext. 707

blogged: http://ping.fm/riBOZ - Review of Baker�s Mentoring�A Complex Relationship

Thursday, March 18, 2010

SEMPA.org - Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants 6th Annual Conference

March 21-25, 2010 is the SEMPA Conference. Meeting at the Hilton El Conquistador in Tucson, Arizona. 

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SEMPA says, �Anyone who works in an emergency department or urgent care center will want to attend this CME-accredited conference, which offers workshops, panel discussions, and lectures all led by distinguished faculty. Opportunities to learn new skills and knowledge of cutting-edge tools, techniques and trends from top experts in the medical profession will also be offered.�

If you are a PA serving in Emergency Medicine, you are sure to gain industry connections, learn from your peers, and of course cover some CME�s while golfing and dining :-).

You can watch the video here to get a quick glimpse of what you�ll experience:

image 

Hilton-El Conquistador Resort

  • Website
  • 10000 N Oracle Rd � 
  • Tucson
  • (520) 544-5000
  • Map picture

    For full details contact the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants.

    We are the Advanced Practice Recruiters and we are here to serve you. Let us know if you are seeking a career as an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant.

    Blake Moser

    blake@aprx.net

    888-812-3452 ext. 707

    www.AdvancedPracticeRecruiters.com

    blogged: http://ping.fm/JsmlN - SEMPA.org - Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants 6th Annual Conference
    blogged: http://ping.fm/TGuCe - SEMPA.org - Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants 6th Annual Conference

    SEMPA.org - Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants 6th Annual Conference

    March 21-25, 2010 is the SEMPA Conference. Meeting at the Hilton El Conquistador in Tucson, Arizona. 

    image

    SEMPA says, “Anyone who works in an emergency department or urgent care center will want to attend this CME-accredited conference, which offers workshops, panel discussions, and lectures all led by distinguished faculty. Opportunities to learn new skills and knowledge of cutting-edge tools, techniques and trends from top experts in the medical profession will also be offered.”

    If you are a PA serving in Emergency Medicine, you are sure to gain industry connections, learn from your peers, and of course cover some CME’s while golfing and dining :-).

    You can watch the video here to get a quick glimpse of what you’ll experience:

    image 

    Hilton-El Conquistador Resort

  • Website
  • 10000 N Oracle Rd · 
  • Tucson
  • (520) 544-5000
  • Map picture

    For full details contact the Society of Emergency Medicine Physician Assistants.

    We are the Advanced Practice Recruiters and we are here to serve you. Let us know if you are seeking a career as an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant.

    Blake Moser

    blake@aprx.net

    888-812-3452 ext. 707

    www.AdvancedPracticeRecruiters.com

    Monday, March 15, 2010

    Windows Live Writer

    I just started using Windows Live Writer today for blogging about jobs, articles, and more. Overall its appearance is basic; you know Microsoft isn�t known for having a flashy user interface� But, as you begin using Windows Live Writer you will recognize the practical functionality that Microsoft offers. It gets the job done. Efficiently.

    There are cool tools such as inserting tags, tables, videos, or course pictures, and incredibly cool maps:

    Map picture

     

    The real power of this platform comes with the plug-ins such as the �xPollinate� plug-in that sends blog updates to Ping.fm (oh by the way, Ping.fm is a must have tool for anyone with an online presence). And the �Polaroid Picture� plug-in that allows you to insert a picture and format it to look like a Polaroid taken on go:

    Of course visiting: Windows Live Writer will give you a more thorough review of their product, but I thought it was cool enough to share�

    Until next time�

    Blake Moser

    blake@aprx.net

    Advanced Practice Recruiters

    WordPress Tags: Live,Writer,Overall,appearance,Microsoft,user,interface,tools,pictures,platform,tool,Polaroid,Picture,product,Blake,Moser,Practice,Recruiters,articles

    Blogger Labels: Live,Writer,Overall,appearance,Microsoft,user,interface,tools,pictures,platform,tool,Polaroid,Picture,product,Blake,Moser,Practice,Recruiters,articles

    Windows Live Writer

    I just started using Windows Live Writer today for blogging about jobs, articles, and more. Overall its appearance is basic; you know Microsoft isn’t known for having a flashy user interface… But, as you begin using Windows Live Writer you will recognize the practical functionality that Microsoft offers. It gets the job done. Efficiently.

    There are cool tools such as inserting tags, tables, videos, or course pictures, and incredibly cool maps:

    Map picture

     

    The real power of this platform comes with the plug-ins such as the “xPollinate” plug-in that sends blog updates to Ping.fm (oh by the way, Ping.fm is a must have tool for anyone with an online presence). And the “Polaroid Picture” plug-in that allows you to insert a picture and format it to look like a Polaroid taken on go:

    Of course visiting: Windows Live Writer will give you a more thorough review of their product, but I thought it was cool enough to share…

    Until next time…

    Blake Moser

    blake@aprx.net

    Advanced Practice Recruiters

    WordPress Tags: Live,Writer,Overall,appearance,Microsoft,user,interface,tools,pictures,platform,tool,Polaroid,Picture,product,Blake,Moser,Practice,Recruiters,articles

    Blogger Labels: Live,Writer,Overall,appearance,Microsoft,user,interface,tools,pictures,platform,tool,Polaroid,Picture,product,Blake,Moser,Practice,Recruiters,articles

    Thursday, March 11, 2010

    Good article on AOL about your resume. It's linked in the first article in our blog. check it out here: http://ow.ly/1h48i

    Monday, March 8, 2010

    How to beat unemployment. Come see how I like to wax philosophical: http://ow.ly/1fLqg

    Friday, March 5, 2010

    OBGYN opening near Birmingham, AL. Partnership in a year! Check it out here: http://ow.ly/1eNWG

    Thursday, March 4, 2010

    Emmonak, Alaska Family Practice Physician Assistant

    For you, the passion and dedication with which you serve defines who you are, not just what you do. It is the force that drives you to provide care, and the same passion with which our people live their lives, and in turn, share their culture.


     

    Serving the people of Southwestern Alaska, our client is a 50-bed general acute care medical facility. Fully accredited by JCAHO, services include adult med/surg, pediatrics, obstetrics, emergency room, as well as outpatient family medicine clinics, pharmacy, lab, and imaging. Your clinical skills will be challenged to grow as you service the medical needs of over 50 rural communities.


     

    Physician Assistant shall be committed to contributing to our mission, Working together to Achieve Excellent Health."


     

    Full spectrum, cradle to grave, family medicine services. Care for acute and chronically ill adults, well and sick children and complete prenatal care.


     

    Continuity clinics, weekdays 9am-6pm, on call for community health aides, and village visits. Work closely and be available for consult with community health aides. Expected to order and interpret lab and x-ray results, and prescriptive authority.


     

    PA must have completed an approved Physician Assistant Training Program and received and maintained certification.

    Two years minimum suggested experience level.

    Must have experience with reading radiographs and dispensing medication.

    Must have or be able to obtain Alaska License and DEA license.

    Be current on CME requirements.

    Must have the computer skills needed to access computerized medical records.

    Needs the skills and knowledge to practice medicine in the area of their specialty. Ability to supervise and mentor PA students and oversee community Health Aide clinical practice.


     

    Benefits Include:

    Generous PTO - beginning at 4.5 weeks

    Ten paid holidays

    Comprehensive healthcare coverage

    Life and Disability Insurance

    Flexible Spending Account

    School loan repayment eligibility of up to $50,000

    Tort Claims coverage

    Retirement plans

    Employee Wellness Center


     

    For more information contact:

    Blake Moser

    blake@aprx.net

    888-812-3452 ext. 707

    www.AdvancedPracticeRecruiters.com