TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1999//
TI  - New challenges, new answers: pediatric nurse practitioners and the care of adolescents
JO  - Journal of Pediatric Health Care
A1  - Nerdahl, P.
A1  - Berglund, D.
A1  - Bearinger, Linda H.
A1  - Saewyc, Elizabeth
A1  - Ireland, Marjorie
A1  - Evans, T.
SP  - 183
EP  - 190
VL  - 13
IS  - 4
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Since the 1950s, patterns of morbidity and mortality among adolescents have shifted to social and environmental causes. This study examines pediatric nurse practitioners' (PNPs') self-assessed competencies in addressing the common health concerns of adolescents. METHOD: The analysis used a sample of 257 PNPs drawn from a larger national data set of 637 nurses randomly sampled from 3 nursing organizations. Factors associated with self-perceived knowledge or skill and interest in training for 28 common health concerns of adolescents were analyzed using Chi square, t test, and Pearson's correlation. Barriers and attractions to working with adolescents were also investigated. RESULTS: The greatest deficits in self-perceived knowledge or skill, as well as low interest in training and low perceived relevance to practice, were around issues of gangs, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender youth, HIV/AIDS, and counseling about a positive pregnancy test. Also, PNPs identified the lack of resources appropriate for adolescent referrals as the greatest barrier to working with this population. DISCUSSION: PNPs assessed their lowest competencies in some of the areas that present the greatest threats to adolescents' health and well-being. These deficits suggest needed curricular shifts in entry-level and advanced-level preparation of PNPs, as well as new priorities for continuing education.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0891-5245
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0891-5245(99)90038-X
ID  - ref1
ER  -