UAMS Highlights Advanced Practice Nurses For Nurse Practitioners Week
| Nov. 18, 2016 | Each day, more than 150 advanced practice nurses (APNs) serve UAMS in a gamut of clinical areas as well as in education, shaping the next generation of nursing professionals.
UAMS has more than 90 APNs who provide services in primary care, acute care, gerontology, women’s health, psychiatric and mental health, neonatal, and in outpatient and inpatient settings.
“Our advanced practice nurses play an extremely vital role in providing quality health care to our patients,” said UAMS Chancellor Dan Rahn, M.D. “In a wide range of areas, these nursing professionals help ensure UAMS meets its goal to improve health and health care in Arkansas.”
More than 50 APNs also serve UAMS and future nurses in the College of Nursing, providing mentorship, guidance and instruction to hundreds of nursing students.
“Our faculty and staff are committed to educating highly qualified nurses to lead system improvements and exemplary care,” said Patricia Cowan, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the College of Nursing. “Nurses have and will continue to be crucial in meeting our state’s health care needs and goals.”
National Nurse Practitioner Week is Nov. 13-19. A nurse practitioner is a health care professional who has completed a graduate degree program, obtained certification in a specialty area, and is licensed as an advanced practice nurse. Nurse practitioners work in a number of areas, including administration, education and clinical practice. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are more than 222,000 nurse practitioners currently licensed in the U.S.