Paying It Forward

Since becoming President of NAPNAP I have been thinking a lot about our profession, what is changing in our world, and what this means for the future of pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) and the children we care for. As President I am acutely aware of the need for NAPNAP to meet the needs of our members, and in order to do this, to embrace change as it occurs. In thinking about the changes our members face, the changes in clinical practice undoubtedly are greatest, because they affect us in every aspect of our professional lives. The Affordable Care Act is changing insurance, reimbursement, and our health care system. Electronic medical records require us to perform our visits differently. Seeing more than 30 to 40 patients per day in primary care is becoming the norm. But it does not stop there; everywhere we turn, someone is texting, on Facebook, or using an iPad. Clinical education is changing. Students nowhave online programs to choose from and are learning virtually rather than in person. The Doctor of Nursing Practice is here to stay, with rapid changes to educational programs taking place throughout the United States. With all of these changes, how does a PNP maintain knowledge, learn new information, and provide excellence in clinical practice? Who does a PNP turn to for supportwhen feelingoverwhelmedand stressedas a result of seeing somanypatients per day?Howdoes a PNP develop an understanding of the changes in our health care system? I do not profess to know all of the answers to these questions, but during the past year I have learned a great deal about the benefits of a professional organization and why it is important to be a member