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Nursing Education ... Nursing Education ... Nursing Education ... Nursing Education ...

Sylvester’s Nurse Practitioner Oncology

Fellowship Program Earns Accreditation

The American Nurses Credentialing “Unfortunately, many nurse
Center (ANCC) has issued an practitioners are not specialized
Accreditation with Distinction to the after graduation or lack experi-
oncology fellowship program devel- ence in areas like oncology,” said
oped for nurse practitioners at Jessica MacIntyre, MSN, APRN,
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Sylvester’s executive director of
Center. This program, launched in clinical operations and co-direc-
November of 2016, was the first of its tor of the new fellowship pro-
kind in Florida. It is now being recog- gram.
nized for its “programmatic excel- “Oncology is a highly special-
lence” by the ANCC Commission on ized field of medicine, and for-
Accreditation. mal training is fundamental in
“Nurse practitioners play an essen- order to provide quality, efficient
tial role in the care of the oncology care,” said Maritza Alencar, DNP,
patient,” said Sylvester Director MBA, APRN, Director, Clinical
Stephen D. Nimer, M.D. “They pro- Operations at Sylvester and the
vide caring, compassion and educa- fellowship program’s other co-
tion, and they are dedicated advocates director.
for exemplary patient care, guiding An article published in April
patients through their treatment Maritza Alencar, D.N.P., MBA, APRN, (left) with Jessica MacIntyre, MSN, APRN 2018 the Clinical Journal of
process. We are proud to provide such Oncology Nursing, written by
an important program at the cancer center.” Alencar, MacIntyre and other Sylvester authors, points out that there are less than
Sylvester’s program entails a year-long rotation through hematology/oncology a dozen oncology nurse practitioner fellowships in the United States.
and other specialties that interact with oncology patients to provide a multidisci- Accreditation is important in establishing national standards.
plinary curriculum. The program has expanded to include a psychosocial oncol- Sylvester is only the second nurse practitioner oncology fellowship program to
ogy, stem cell transplant and cellular therapy fellowship track for nurse practi- receive accreditation by ANCC, which can be renewed every three year. To date,
tioners. Sylvester’s program has graduated three nurse practitioner oncology fellows.

Cover Story: FIU’s STAR Center …

Immersive Simulation Training Clinical Skills and Critical Thinking

Continued from page 1
patient care – without real world conse- emotionally raw background scenarios residencies. a safe experience in a simulated environ-
quences, through technology. so that the education goes beyond the Recently the STAR Center participated ment that mimics the actual uncon-
The 20,000 sq. foot STAR Center at technical skills and theatrical remedies in a showcase of faculty innovations trolled circumstances of patient care
the FIU Nicole Wertheim College of into identifying the clinical reasoning to designed for student success. integrates evidenced-based practice and
Nursing & Health Sciences, provides unfold the rationale as to why an “Experiential learning supports tradi- hands-on exposure,” Henao said.
multimodal settings including emer- approach was utilized in terms of patient tional academic lectures, by using that Beyond nursing education, the STAR
gency, pediatric, med-surg and obstetri- safety, family interactions and other psy- knowledge to hone skills in small clinical Center provides mobile and in-situ train-
cal opportunities in hospital, ambulatory chological impact factors,” he explained. control groups. This post-book-learning ing including disaster response,
and family settings. Students practice For example, in mental health scenar- skills application helps students explore aeromedical evacuation for the FIU
with high-fidelity lifelike patient ios actors are specifically trained to pres- the thinking behind their appropriate Florida Advanced Surgical Transport
responses amplified with mixed reality ent a variety of psychiatric disease mark- clinical response,” Henao explained. (FIU-FAST) team and education to
learning lenses, robotics and other aug- ers to help students identify subtle The STAR Center was also included in providers at their place of work for certi-
mented reality techniques for first changes in mood behavior and learn how a landmark study published in nursing fication, continuing education or profes-
response to surgical and rehabilitation to approach agitated and suicidal journals analyzing hybrid simulation and sional advancement purposes.
protocols. However, while the advanced patients in a real-world likeness while OTJ observations. The study indicated Henao credits the recent accreditation
‘bells and whistles’ are incredibly impres- interacting with family and displaying that up to 50% of simulation training as acknowledgement of FIU’s early
sive, they are the tools that the faculty empathy. improves clinical observation practicums adapter lead and current maturity in sim-
uses to help tease out the advanced clin- This enlightened real-world thinking for new nursing students. Henao favors a ulation innovation but doesn’t want to
ical thinking that prepares an exception- was envisioned beginning in 2008 when hybrid of simulation and clinical intern- stagnate. “We now share our knowledge
al practitioner. FIU Administration supported an invest- ships to optimize nursing aptitude and with partners in industry who manufac-
In addition to overseeing clinical ment in space and dollars and staff for marketability of FIU students. FIU has ture the robotic technology to help them
expertise via technology, faculty provide simulation education. This forethought received positive feedback from CNOs design patient responses to the pinnacle
students with monitoring, video capture is threaded throughout Florida Inter - who acknowledge a deeper understand- of quality which enhances patient care
and intensive debriefing to review, evalu- national University health care education ing and readiness for nursing care along education in the future,” he said.
ate and discuss outcomes of clinical sim- which strives to provide the bridge from with enhanced confidence of FIU stu-
ulations. academic concepts to contemporary dents who graduate with this immersive For more information, tours or informa-
According to Henao, facilitators help practice encouraging faculty to share simulation education. tion regarding upcoming seminars, visit
students to suspend disbelief. “Com - current strategies and on-the-job tactics “Nurses are the 24/7 eyes and ears for https://cnhs.fiu.edu/facilities/star-center or
munications are important in setting up in classroom and experiential industry their health care colleagues; and, having email HHenao@fiu.edu.

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com May 2019 39