2012 National Conference
Pre-Registration Now Open!

HOTEL RESERVATIONS NOW AVAILABLE FOR MAY 2012 CONFERENCE, resort offering special conference rate to those attendees and their guests making early reservations!

CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE NOW FORMED

PRACTICE ALERT: The letters “DNP” following a provider’s name are solely to be used for Doctor of Nursing Practice, not dermatology nurse practitioner. Using the letters “DNP” to represent a non-doctoral degree level dermatology nurse practitioner is misleading and constitutes falsely claiming a non-existent credential.

February 2011 – Experts from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) after two-years of interdisciplinary study concluded that Nurse Practitioners are not being fully utilized because of barriers. They identified legal barriers, scope of practice issues, and financial barriers with insurance companies not reimbursing nurses directly for the work that they do. They recommended Healthcare Reform measures that would allow nurses to work to their capacity and training, and would translate into better health outcomes for all. One member of the team stated that “Nurses should be used to their full capacity, with respect to their education and training, and one of the biggest barriers that currently exist is scope of practice laws at the state level.”


"Formal training for all health care professionals is essential for the diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of skin cancers and other dermatologic diseases. There are deficiencies in physician and nurse practitioner training programs regarding standardized formal dermatology curricula and clinical rotations. Skin cancer has reached epidemic proportions in the United States at a time when there is a reduced access to trained health care professionals skilled in the diagnosis and management of skin cancer and other skin diseases. Health care professionals are expected to meet the needs of this epidemic and to acquire the skills necessary to achieve them." Shelby D. (2008). - The Development of a Standardized Dermatology Residency Program for the Clinical Doctorate in Advanced Nursing Practice, Dermatology Nursing Journal, 20(6), p. 444-445.


Debra Shelby, DNP, FNP-BC, DNC is the Affiliate Director DNP Dermatology Residency Program; University of South Florida’s College of Nursing. Dr. Shelby is currently a University of South Florida PhD Candidate.

Calling for a multifaceted approach to address the complexities of the skin cancer epidemic, Miriam Kravitz, FNP-BC, MSN, USF College of Nursing DNP dermatology resident in her 2010 article wrote: “Dr. Debra Shelby, Board Member of the DNA, has identified educating dermatology nurse practitioners as critical. Because of her efforts, a Doctor of Nursing Practice Dermatology Residency program was developed at the University of South Florida” - Indoor tanning, skin cancer, and Tanorexia, JDNA, 2(3), p.114


Authors Brooks, Scope, Braun, and Marghoob in their 2011 article, Dermoscopy of Nevi and Melanoma in Childhood: Five-year View in Expert Review of Dermatology, 6(1): 19-34 predict an expansion of the use of dermoscopy in the United States.
According to these authors, “A better understanding of the utility of dermoscopy combined with improved training programs is likely to transform dermoscopy into a widely used tool, akin to the stethoscope, among primary care physicians, medical specialists and those in medical training. The dissemination of dermoscopy among medical professionals will likely have great impact on the early detection of melanoma, translating into lives saved from this potentially fatal malignancy.”

Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, interviewed Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the National Nursing Centers Consortium, and other leaders in his 2010 article in Nursing Economics, Have Nurse Practitioners Reached a Tipping Point?: Interview of a Panel of NP Thought Leaders, 28(5):346-349. On the topic of current turf issues between NPs and MDs, Hansen-Turton stated, “Physicians and NPs at the grassroots have worked out a comfortable, collaborative, professional relationship that benefits both. But, the relationship at the policy and organizational state and national levels is much more divisive.” All NP leaders interviewed called for collaboration and policy changes to address provider shortages and health care reform issues in the US.

February 2011 – Experts from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) after two-years of interdisciplinary study concluded that Nurse Practitioners are not being fully utilized because of barriers. They identified legal barriers, scope of practice issues, and financial barriers with insurance companies not reimbursing nurses directly for the work that they do. They recommended Healthcare Reform measures that would allow nurses to work to their capacity and training, and would translate into better health outcomes for all. One member of the team stated that “Nurses should be used to their full capacity, with respect to their education and training, and one of the biggest barriers that currently exist is scope of practice laws at the state level.”


"Formal training for all health care professionals is essential for the diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of skin cancers and other dermatologic diseases. There are deficiencies in physician and nurse practitioner training programs regarding standardized formal dermatology curricula and clinical rotations. Skin cancer has reached epidemic proportions in the United States at a time when there is a reduced access to trained health care professionals skilled in the diagnosis and management of skin cancer and other skin diseases. Health care professionals are expected to meet the needs of this epidemic and to acquire the skills necessary to achieve them." Shelby D. (2008). - The Development of a Standardized Dermatology Residency Program for the Clinical Doctorate in Advanced Nursing Practice, Dermatology Nursing Journal, 20(6), p. 444-445.


Debra Shelby, DNP, ARNP, DNC is the Affiliate Director DNP Dermatology Residency Program; University of South Florida’s College of Nursing. Dr. Shelby is currently a University of South Florida PhD Candidate.

Calling for a multifaceted approach to address the complexities of the skin cancer epidemic, Miriam Kravitz, FNP-BC, MSN, USF College of Nursing DNP dermatology resident in her 2010 article wrote: “Dr. Debra Shelby, Board Member of the DNA, has identified educating dermatology nurse practitioners as critical. Because of her efforts, a Doctor of Nursing Practice Dermatology Residency program was developed at the University of South Florida” - Indoor tanning, skin cancer, and Tanorexia, JDNA, 2(3), p.114


Lakshi Aldredge, MSN, RN, ANP-C, immediate past president of DNA, posed the following question during her presidency:

“How is nursing responding to healthcare reform issues and what will the proposed healthcare reform legislation mean for nursing as the largest group providing healthcare in the United States?”

She cited a 2009 consensus statement written by the ANA as part of the answer: “When advanced practice registered nurses are able to provide services to their full scope of practice, they increase access to cost-effective, comprehensive, and high- quality care in a patient- and community-centered environment.” – Where does nursing stand in the healthcare reform debate? - (2010), JDNA, 2(2), p.71.


Authors Brooks, Scope, Braun, and Marghoob in their 2011 article, Dermoscopy of Nevi and Melanoma in Childhood: Five-year View in Expert Review of Dermatology, 6(1): 19-34 predict an expansion of the use of dermoscopy in the United States.
According to these authors, “A better understanding of the utility of dermoscopy combined with improved training programs is likely to transform dermoscopy into a widely used tool, akin to the stethoscope, among primary care physicians, medical specialists and those in medical training. The dissemination of dermoscopy among medical professionals will likely have great impact on the early detection of melanoma, translating into lives saved from this potentially fatal malignancy.”

Peter I. Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, interviewed Tine Hansen-Turton, executive director of the National Nursing Centers Consortium, and other leaders in his 2010 article in Nursing Economics, Have Nurse Practitioners Reached a Tipping Point?: Interview of a Panel of NP Thought Leaders, 28(5):346-349. On the topic of current turf issues between NPs and MDs, Hansen-Turton stated, “Physicians and NPs at the grassroots have worked out a comfortable, collaborative, professional relationship that benefits both. But, the relationship at the policy and organizational state and national levels is much more divisive.” All NP leaders interviewed called for collaboration and policy changes to address provider shortages and health care reform issues in the US.

The NADNP is dedicated to supporting and developing dermatology nurse practitioners, while assisting all NPs looking for leadership and guidance in the field of dermatology. With NPs at the forefront of health care reform, we must work together to share our specialty expertise. Our goal is to improve access to high quality dermatology care for the benefit of all patients. We welcome all NPs to join us in improving patient care by promoting evidence-based dermatology practice standards, clinical research, advanced practice conferences, and expanded dermatology communication networks. NADNP educational offerings are led by qualified nationally recognized leaders in dermatology.