Blog Series: Miseducation of NPs? Ongoing Training Essential for APPs

This is the first blog in a multiple-blog series in response to recent publications about the state of education of nurse practitioners in the United States.

It’s not news that there is a nursing shortage. And a physician shortage. And a lack of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, advanced practice providers, therapists of every kind … the list can and does go on and on. Healthcare’s staffing woes came to light during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the problem persists today. There’s no single solution of quick fix.

What there is, however, is a vastly changed landscape of initial training and continuing education. Online opportunities grew significantly during the pandemic lockdown period and continue to provide essential training for those seeking to enter healthcare professions, as well as those who want to continue their training and education in order to assume new roles and additional responsibilities.

Those programs are not, however, equal in terms of the opportunities they provide, the expertise behind their curriculum, and the capabilities and confidence levels of their graduates. Whether you’re a provider seeking to offer educational advancement opportunities to staff, someone seeking to enter the healthcare profession, or a career healthcare worker looking to add to your sill set, quality matters. The wrong program can be a costly waste of time and resources.

Peer-reviewed, evaluated education courses essential

Whether it’s online or hands-on, the right kind of comprehensive training and education matters. In healthcare, it can be the difference between life and death. Curriculum that has been vetted by industry sources, as well as designed to meet users where they are, is the foundation to anyone in healthcare. That’s true for someone who is exploring career options as much as it is for a provider looking to beef up skills in a specific area or shift to an entirely different specialty.

Ensuring that staff has a solid educational foundation — and one that can be built on to create lifelong learners — is vital for every provider organization across the healthcare continuum. The results include:

• Better patient care and outcomes
• Happier employees and reduced turnover
• A significant advantage when it comes to recruiting and expansion

Healthcare is not static. Those who work in it, especially the caring people who interact with patients and their families, thrive on helping individuals get better. They enjoy a workplace with challenges, as well as opportunities for growth. They also want a lifelong career, not just a job. When they see training opportunities as a bridge to achievement and increasingly complex skill sets, they eagerly embrace the challenge.

Choosing the right education partner is a big decision, whether you’re a care provider or someone looking to enter, or advance, in the field. It’s about confidence in that educator’s ability to offer coursework that prepares learners to tackle the many challenges they’ll be met with every day.

Next In Series:  What To Look For In An Online Education Partner

In the meantime, learn more about ThriveAP’s high-quality live and online education programs offered to healthcare organizations for nurse practitioners and PAs, visit https://www.thriveap.com/employers.