Personalized Training Ensures Advanced Practice Providers Deliver Excellence
Emory Radiology’s advanced practice providers (APPs)—physician assistants and nurse practitioners—work at the highest scope of their license as essential members of interventional radiology patient care teams. Seventeen APPs practice at Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, and Grady Hospital, led by Chief APP Tracy Powell, MSN, ANP-BC, and Lead APP Stephanie Hawkins, PA-C.
Given the highly specialized nature of their work, newly hired APPs undergo personalized on-the-job training to ensure they have the skills and expertise necessary to coordinate patient care and provide pre-procedure patient assessment, informed consent to treatment, and clinical aftercare. APPs also must be trained to perform image-guided procedures such as biopsies, paracentesis, and vascular access for ports.
Once hired, Tracy and Stephanie sit down with the new APP’s supervising physician to create an orientation
Left to right: Stephanie Hawkins and Tracy Powell
and training schedule. The new APP receives thick binders containing their IR procedure competencychecklist, clinical procedure guidelines, and department policies and procedures. An APP and a physician mentor check in weekly to monitor the APP’s progress against a goal checklist and to help address any challenges. Progress is assessed at 30, 60, and 90 days, by which time training should be complete.
Most of the APPs work a four 10-hour-day block schedule mirroring that of the IR physicians and covering the spectrum of IR clinical care, from performing procedures to handling outpatient clinic and inpatient consultations. Most have primary and secondary site rotations that help ensure coverage across the enterprise. Flexibility is key.
“We need team players who are eager for the challenge and variety of IR,” says Powell. “Our APPs not only expand our capacity to meet demand for care, they also ensure everyone on the team provides the highest quality patient care.”
Given the highly specialized nature of their work, newly hired APPs undergo personalized on-the-job training to ensure they have the skills and expertise necessary to coordinate patient care and provide pre-procedure patient assessment, informed consent to treatment, and clinical aftercare. APPs also must be trained to perform image-guided procedures such as biopsies, paracentesis, and vascular access for ports.
Once hired, Tracy and Stephanie sit down with the new APP’s supervising physician to create an orientation
Left to right: Stephanie Hawkins and Tracy Powell
and training schedule. The new APP receives thick binders containing their IR procedure competencychecklist, clinical procedure guidelines, and department policies and procedures. An APP and a physician mentor check in weekly to monitor the APP’s progress against a goal checklist and to help address any challenges. Progress is assessed at 30, 60, and 90 days, by which time training should be complete.
Most of the APPs work a four 10-hour-day block schedule mirroring that of the IR physicians and covering the spectrum of IR clinical care, from performing procedures to handling outpatient clinic and inpatient consultations. Most have primary and secondary site rotations that help ensure coverage across the enterprise. Flexibility is key.
“We need team players who are eager for the challenge and variety of IR,” says Powell. “Our APPs not only expand our capacity to meet demand for care, they also ensure everyone on the team provides the highest quality patient care.”
Left to right: Stephanie Hawkins and Tracy Powell