Linda Blasen Highly Involved at National Conference for Nurse Practitioners

Linda S. Blasen, MS, FNP-BC, ACNP-BC, Instructor at the University of South Florida College of Nursing, was invited to present on three different topics and support two workshops during the 2012 National Conference for Nurse Practitioners (NCNP) at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, May 16 through May 19.

“It is an honor and privilege to be invited to speak at a national conference,” Blasen said. “It is a reflection of the College of Nursing’s ongoing commitment to the education of nurse practitioner students to have faculty engaged in presenting at the national level.”

Blasen, who has presented locally, regionally and nationally for many years and has an established reputation in the nursing field, presented two, three-hour workshops including Basic Suturing, Beyond the Basics, and Asthma: Evidence-based Guidelines. The presentation on basic structuring provided an opportunity to consider wound evaluation and management for the emerging clinician. Beyond the Basics incorporated approaches to a variety of suturing techniques and anesthesia options. The third presentation on asthma focused on utilizing guidelines to diagnose asthma and employ a stepwise approach to patient care management.

Blasen also supported two workshops during the conference, Common Office Procedures and Joint Aspiration and Injection. She and several others facilitated the setup of the hands-on component for the sessions and taught the process to the participants. Common Office Procedures involved teaching minor procedure skills to perform in the primary care setting such as nail resection and drainage of simple abscesses. During Joint Aspiration and Injection, students were instructed in the various approaches to either drain fluid from a joint or provide a medication injection to manage pain and/or inflammation.

“Attending a large national conference, whether as a participant or a speaker, is a dynamic and engaging experience,” Blasen said. “ It allows us to establish, maintain, and reconnect with other health care professionals in a collegial environment and is an extremely valuable opportunity.”

Other USF Nursing faculty members also presented at the conference including Debra A. Friedrich, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, CLS, Assistant Professor and Director of the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Master’s Concentration, and David Berger, MD, Adjunct Faculty and Clinical Preceptor. Dr. Friedrich presented on Challenging Patients with Dislipidemia, and Dr. Berger presented on Delaying, Deferring and Declining Immunizations.