Bellevue, WA (March 3, 2009) – As more Americans turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medications to combat the high price of health care and prescription drugs, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and pharmacists are often the first to answer patient questions about self-care. To support these health care providers, the NPHF announces the OTC Advisor – a free online training tool that helps clinicians offer the best counsel to patients using OTC medications and home diagnostic products.
"Nurse practitioners focus on personalizing care to meet an individual patient's needs. The ability to answer questions about the wide array of OTC products requires a broad knowledge base of all of these products," says Phyllis Zimmer, MN, ARNP, FAAN and NPHF president. "The Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation provides educational programs, such as the OTC Advisor, to ensure that information given to the public by nurse practitioners (NPs) and other clinicians is up-to-date and evidence-based. We view this as a wonderful resource for the NP profession, particularly those who practice in convenient care settings."
The OTC Advisor is co-sponsored by the NPHF, the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the American Pharmacists Association through an educational grant from Procter & Gamble. The program consists of online modules that can be completed over time, and participants can receive up to 18.5 free continuing education credits. The modules cover OTC care for the following health issues:
- Pain management
- Fever and cold symptoms
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Skin disorders
- Popular herbal and dietary supplements
- Use of home diagnostic products
"As an organization that supports the delivery of healthcare in locations accessible to patients, we are excited about the potential this program holds for clinicians practicing in community settings, such as convenient care clinics," says Zimmer. "This program provides the information needed by clinicians to assist their patients in making good choices of over-the-counter healthcare products."
For additional information, or to participate in the OTC Advisor program visit nphealthcarefoundation.org and click on the OTC Advisor program.
The Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation
In 2005, a group of pioneering nurse practitioners launched the Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to raising the bar in health care, contributing to excellence in care and bringing NPs to the forefront of the larger health care arena. The NPHF works on behalf of the entire nurse practitioner profession to make high-quality, effective care accessible through research, education, health policy, service and philanthropy. The Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation is an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Visit http://www.nphealthcarefoundation.org for more information and for a listing of continuing education opportunities for NPs.