Nurse Practitioner vs. Physician Assistant

This is a look at the differences between nurse practitioner and physician assistant careers — from the pre-requisite education requirements to the scope of practice.

Why does Alzheimer’s Affect Latino Families So Severely?

Diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease are rising in tandem with the aging population in the United States, but the disease isn’t spreading evenly across racial and ethnic groups. While Latinos are 50 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than non-Latino whites, they’re less likely to pursue treatment for the disease. What can nurse practitioners do to help?

What Does Self-Care Mean for Individuals With Diabetes?

When patients diagnosed with diabetes can’t — or won’t — see a health care provider, they’re left to their own devices, which often leads to self-care, a practice that many people take for granted. What does self-care mean for these individuals?

Reproductive and Sexual Health: What’s the Difference?

Benefits of the Birth Control Pill

“Women are more than their ability to reproduce,” said Dr. Ellen Olshansky, chair of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Department of Nursing. How do we highlight the importance of women’s sexual health so it’s valued just as much as their reproductive health?

Full Practice Authority Brings Better Quality Care for Veterans

In December 2016, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs granted full practice authority to their nurse practitioners. While 28 states prohibit nurses from practicing at the full scope, the VA is paving the way for more organizations to improve quality of care for our nation’s veterans.

 

America’s Sex Education: How We Are Failing Our Students

When only 13 states in the nation require sex education to be medically accurate, students’ health literacy suffers. How can we make sex ed more comprehensive? USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Department of Nursing professor Dr. Theresa Granger says everyone — nurse practitioners, teachers, parents — has to take responsibility.