7-minute read

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Entrepreneurship and Innovation

That was the name of an elective I took in nurse practitioner school. At first, I thought about taking an elective on using technology to teach and instruct students. But, once I saw a course was being offered on entrepreneurship and innovation, I registered immediately. Signing up for that course was another life-changing decision. For years, my annual performance evaluation included my understanding and contributions towards innovation. Funny thing, I never knew how to define it or even how to make improvements. Once I took this course, my whole life finally made sense. I've always been looking to build something, starting with my first business in middle school (Kim's Cookies), to dental devices when I was in the graduate biomedical engineering program at Tufts University, and during my time at Georgetown where I constantly pitched (before I knew what pitching was) my colleagues about an innovative way to complete repeat, daily tasks. Nurse practitioners (NPs) and nurses are prime for innovation! We're always identifying workarounds that increase efficiency, workflows, and patient outcomes. Truth be told, if we were brought in earlier in the ideation and design phases, we wouldn't have to spend that much time and energy creating workarounds that are often better then the expensive implementation. In the meantime, we've been sitting on a gold mine and that gold mine is us!

Consider this the introduction to my thesis on why nurse practitioners and nurses make the best innovators. First, let's take a look at our education and training.

Finding a Dermatology NP Preceptor

I previously wrote about the preceptor shortage. While it can be challenging to find a job in dermatology without experience, it is even more difficult to find a preceptor. Nursing school is not designed to teach you everything you need to know. It is designed to prepare you for board examinations and begin your clinical training. Clinical rotations and clinical orientation take place in a live environment where your education is competing with patients, priorities, and other tasks within a given time. Furthermore, the person teaching you (voluntarily or not) is limited by their clinical experience, outside interests, and the exposure to the larger industry and latest evidence. It's impossible to be in clinical practice 5 days a week and keep our finger on the pulse of everything, even if you have the energy. By the end of the day of your clinical rotation or orientation, everyone wants to go home! If you want to expand your clinical practice, increase your confidence, receive an alternative perspective, or take the leap and try something new like start your own business or grow your social media platform, you need a Virtual Preceptor. As your Virtual Preceptor I can help you identify:

-Academic, entrepreneurial and clinical practice opportunities

- Your specific networking strategy to advance your level of education, business acumen, digital footprint, and clinical practice

-Increased confidence in your communication to take your dreams to the next level

-A branding kit to start marketing your skills, goods, and services

-A community you can leverage and use to fast track your success

Why is this Topic Important to Me?

Please let me share the mission and vision of Mahogany Dermatology:

Mission

•Translate how the latest evidence-based data on skin, hair, and nails can be applied to improve health equity for diverse communities.

•Educate nurse practitioners about skin of color,  inclusive and culturally competent care, and artificial intelligence in dermatology.

•Create an ecosystem for nurse practitioners interested in medical and cosmetic dermatology to obtain mentorship, education, and training.

•Develop a practice framework for nurse practitioners to follow so they can move beyond the bedside and toward board leadership and business.

Vision

Become a center of excellence for dermatology nurse practitioners to thrive | Practice within the full scope of our education and training | and Discover our innovative spirit.

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Virtual Preceptor Co.

I've started phase 1 of the Virtual Preceptor which includes e-books and digital courses. Visit the Virtual Preceptor Co. shop to see the latest e-books available for immediate download by clicking here.

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DMV Dermatology NP + PA Group

If you're an aspiring or practice dermatology nurse practitioner or physician associate in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) region, I invite you to join the DMV Dermatology NP + PA Group, a private, member-only Facebook Group. I wrote about the story behind starting the group and my vision for what we can do with it in a previous article.

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Kimberly Madison, DNP, AGPCNP-BC

Kimberly Madison is a nurse practitioner with a passion for writing, entrepreneurship, education, and mentorship. I created this blog to share my journey as source of motivation and as a blueprint as you embark on your journey. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to increasing access to dermatology education and clinical training for aspiring and practicing nurse practitioners. I invite you to view the mission and vision statement on the homepage to see how we can best partner to make our dreams align.

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