The New Acute Care SAEs...
An Interview with Two Committee Members

Online SAEs? Cardio and respiratory choices? Yes and yes! We're so excited about these new SAEs that we interviewed two committee members who made this possible, Andrea Kline (pictured left) of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago and Lisa Keeler (pictured right) of Children's Hospital Boston, to help you get to know what these web-based learning activities are all about!

It's exciting to start something from scratch and watch it take shape. Since you both were part of this project's development from the very beginning, please describe your involvement and share why you joined this committee. What does volunteering for the PNCB in this capacity offer you professionally and personally?

Andrea: I have been an item writer for the AC CPNP Exam and am a member of the AC PNP SAE Committee. It has been great to reflect on my clinical experiences as an NP by developing and critiquing testing items for the exam. It has given me a true appreciation on how difficult it can be to compose a question that is a "good" question and really evaluates the examinee's knowledge. The face-to-face SAE committee meeting in June provided me with increased networking among professional colleagues, as well as a refresher in my clinical knowledge and a renewed excitement for the value of professional certification.

Lisa: Being a new venture was one of the reasons I was drawn to this committee. My entire nursing career has focused on caring for sick children as well as healthy children, and as I became an advanced practice nurse I knew that I wanted to continue to practice in acute care, not the traditional PNP role of primary care. I saw volunteering for this PNCB committee as an opportunity to not only expand my practice and knowledge, but to be a part of something that will give more depth and background to the role of acute care PNPs in general. It has been exciting for me to be a part of this committee as I have met so many people who share my type of practice. Professionally, I have learned an incredible amount about the challenges of writing test and review questions, and in that process have learned new acute care information, and reviewed things that I use commonly in my practice.

What is your goal in education for each of these modules? Which types of PNPs would benefit from the cardiology AC SAE? How about the respiratory AC SAE?

Lisa: The educational goal for both of the modules is to expand and reinforce knowledge in both content areas. For those practicing in cardiology and respiratory specifically, it may be more of a review and update of current practice. For those working in other specialty areas, or critical care in general, it will be a chance to learn new information, and become up to date on the most recent information in those areas. Acute care PNPs who do not work in cardiac and respiratory should not feel anxious about these SAEs, as they are geared for everyone to be able to do.

Andrea: Since both the respiratory and cardiology systems are vital to the overall health and well being of all children, I think that both sections are highly valuable for PNPs in any specialty/acute care practice. The overall goal is to increase the knowledge on each of the topical areas for all AC-PNPs, while teaching the latest in evidence based medicine. Some of the information will be review for those practicing in specialty practice dealing with those body systems routinely. For others, it will provide new information, expanding their knowledge.

Andrea, with your PICU/critical care background, how do you think the critical care pieces of the SAE, like cardiac surgery and ventilation strategies, will benefit CPNPs® who do not work in a PICU? Is there any educational benefit for primary care PNPs who may want to take these SAEs for CE?

Andrea: For those NPs practicing outside of the critical care area, this information will provide knowledge beyond that of acute Pediatric Life Support (PALS) management. While those NPs may not participate in their patients' care during their critical illness, they will become familiar with many of the treatments and procedures that their patients may receive during their time of acute and critical illness. This broadened knowledge will allow PNPs to have more cogent conversations with their patients and families regarding issues surrounding their critical illness. It also will broaden the depth of their knowledge for many respiratory and cardiac disorders that affect children.

Lisa, as a practitioner in Gastroenterology and Nutrition, how do you feel these SAEs will benefit someone practicing in your specialty areas? How can the AC SAEs benefit primary care PNPs who would like to take them for CE?

Lisa: As a acute care PNP working in the specialty area of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, I feel that these SAEs will be very beneficial in helping me stay up to date in content areas that I use less frequently on a daily basis. In my practice area, as well as many others in the hospital, I see patients with very complex healthcare needs, and often they have chronic respiratory and/or cardiac issues. The content from these SAEs helps me more fully understand the complex needs of these patients. The benefits of these acute care SAEs to a primary care PNP would include expanding their knowledge base, and helping them to identify patients with cardiac or pulmonary issues. Many primary care PNPs also work in specialty areas in the hospital and the acute care SAEs may better benefit their learning needs.

We want the knowledge learned from these SAEs to stay with participants after the exercise is complete. What one concept do you hope CPNPs® remember long after they finish an AC SAE?

Andrea: The one concept that I hope will stay with SAE participants is that the evidence is continually changing, forcing all clinicians to be current with the latest data in order to provide the best possible care for their patients.

Lisa: I think it would be great if participants could gain new insight to their patients' illnesses and learn to think of how each body system impacts each other. Another important take-home message is that participants should feel comfortable thinking outside their primary work area, and feel confident in their ability to tackle new and complex subject areas.

Thank you both for sharing these insights just in time for Recertification! We appreciate your hard work behind the scenes to make these online activities available for our Acute Care and dually-Certified CPNPs®.

If you're Acute Care or dually-certified, you can select one of these SAEs between October 1 and December 1, 2007 for your Recertification. Then in late December you'll be contacted via email with a log-in and password plus detailed instructions on how to complete your selected SAE online. We will also provide a comprehensive list of resources you may want to consult to help you answer your SAE's questions... and many of these texts are available through a special PNCB link to Elsevier's website, which starting 10/1 will offer a 10% discount on all books to everyone certified by PNCB!

Each SAE contains approximately 70 questions and you'll receive a CE certificate providing you with 15 contact hours accredited by NAPNAP in late spring/early summer. Each SAE costs $140.00, or $130.00 if you order online. We hope you enjoy the convenience of online Acute Care SAEs and your new Elsevier discount!

[Return to Front Page]