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Sarah Michelle NP Reviews (SMNP)
Nurse Practitioner Blog

At SMNP Reviews, we believe in empowering our NP community with the knowledge and skills they need to become successful, confident nurse practitioners. That’s why we’ve created this blog to provide you with all the resources you need to stay up to date with the latest and greatest information to help you excel in your career. Our goal is to make your lives easier by creating a hub where you can find, explore, and delve into the plethora of resources we offer.

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Shadowing a Nurse Practitioner: Get a Glimpse of Your Future Role

One of the most significant career transitions that a nurse can make is from the bedside to an advanced practice role. Advanced practice nursing as a nurse practitioner carries with it a lot of responsibility as an independent provider, but it can also be very rewarding! Before you start working as a nurse practitioner, you

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Ep #96: NP Residency Programs

Anna and I are here this week to talk about a wonderful opportunity available for additional clinical experience, not only for Nurse Practitioner students but also for brand-new real-deal NPs too, and that is Nurse Practitioner residency programs. The role of Nurse Practitioners have grown, both in complexity and in significance within the healthcare system.

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Diabetes Demystified: Essential Education for Nurse Practitioner Board Prep

Diabetes is a crucial subject in medicine, and you may be wondering what you need to know about it for your nurse practitioner (NP) board exam. Diabetes can be a little intimidating at first, but SMNP Reviews has you covered! In this SMNP YouTube video, “Diabetes Demystified,” NP Alisha breaks the topic down easily so

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Inside the Exciting World of Interventional Radiology: A Day in the Life of a Nurse Practitioner!

How does a nurse practitioner obtain a job in interventional radiology, and what is their daily life like? How can a NP find a field to work in, maybe even two, while working as an integral part of a medical team?  In this SMNP YouTube video, “Inside the Exciting World of Interventional Radiology: A Day

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Ep #95: Continuing Education: Staying Current as a Nurse Practitioner

Here at NP Reviews, we love continuing education. A thirst for knowledge in your personal life is important, but CEs are required to keep up with your certifications, and most states require them to maintain licenses, such as RN, NP, and even obtaining your DEA license. This may sound overwhelming, but CEs can actually be

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What are the Responsibilities of Nurse Practitioners?

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are incredible healthcare professionals who truly make a difference in people’s lives. They work closely with patients and families, offering diagnosis, treatment, preventive care, and promoting overall health and well-being. In this article, we will explore nine important duties that NPs perform routinely, so you can get a real sense of what

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What are the Benefits of Being a Nurse Practitioner?

Becoming a nurse practitioner (NP) will require some hard work, but the rewards are truly worth it in so many ways! Let’s explore seven reasons why this career option could be a good fit for you. 7 Great Things About Being a Nurse Practitioner 1. The career opportunities for NPs are limitless! Becoming a NP

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A Comprehensive Review of Cognitive Impairment Screenings for Nurse Practitioners

As a nurse practitioner caring for older patients, it’s crucial that you know how to use cognitive impairment screenings. We understand that determining who should be screened, which tests to use, and when can be challenging. But don’t worry, we’re here to assist you every step of the way! In this Sarah Michelle NP video,

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Ep #94: From Registered Nurse to Nurse Practitioner: How to Shift Your Mindset

Nursing is one of the few professions wherein you can transition from an expert to a novice literally overnight. Some students transition more easily into their roles as Nurse Practitioners, while others struggle with obstacles like role confusion and imposter syndrome, which can feel extremely stressful and intimidating. That’s why, in this episode, I’m sharing

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Ep #93: Your Guide to Medical Billing & Coding with Anna

I’m back this week with Anna to discuss a topic that seems to be majorly glossed over in Nurse Practitioner school, if covered at all. Medical billing and coding are two core factors that impact how you get paid as a Nurse Practitioner, which means understanding the “why” and “how” of them is vital. While

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ANCC vs AANP Boards for FNP and AGPCNP: Which Should You Take?

One of the topics we hear family nurse practitioner (FNP) students and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP) students talking about is deciding which certification exam to take. Should you take the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) exam or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam? What do you need to know so you

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How to Study for Nurse Practitioner Boards

Congratulations on reaching the finish line of your nurse practitioner program! You’ve gained so much wealth of knowledge and clinical expertise to get to this point. Still, you probably have the weight of taking your board exam on your shoulders. But here’s the good news: you already have the tools you need to pass and

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Pediatric Growth and Development: What You Need to Know for Your FNP Exams

Pediatrics is a big topic, one there will certainly be questions about on your FNP exam. If you’re wondering what you need to review, look no further! In this Sarah Michelle NP video, “Pediatric Growth and Development: What you Need to Know for Your FNP Exams,” NP Caroline Grantham gives you some great information on

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Ep #92: “What Should I Be Doing When?” with Anna

 One question that we receive all the time in our community and on every platform with which we engage with our students is, “What should I be doing and when?” This question tends to come up no matter what phase of the Nurse Practitioner journey someone is in – whether they’re a brand new

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Ep #91: 2023 AANP National Conference Highlights

Anna and I have just returned from this year’s AANP National Conference in New Orleans, and we can’t wait to share our thoughts on it. We love any opportunity to see our team and all of you in person, and this was undoubtedly the biggest highlight of our trip. We are also staunch advocates for

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Ep #90: Starting Nurse Practitioner School: What We Wish We’d Known with Anna

This week, I’m back with Anna again to continue our mini-series on the things we wish we had known at different points in our Nurse Practitioner journeys. So far, we have covered what we wish we had known before graduating from Nurse Practitioner school and starting clinicals. In this episode, we are taking it one

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