Ebele Ezenwa, DNP, APRN, APRN, FNP-C
Throughout my career as an advanced practice provider (APP), I have had the opportunity to attend several in-person medical education conferences, such as the APP Oncology Summits (APPOS). Each one of these experiences has been instrumental in helping me to further my career as a provider. The most significant benefit of attending these gatherings is sharing and learning about clinical experiences and innovative approaches to improve oncological health practices with other providers who work in this space. Learning about novel topics and oncology treatments is vital because this knowledge has the power to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. In addition, it is always exciting to see both new and familiar faces!
The role of APPs can be described as the future frontier that offers a way of questioning current practices, improving healthcare delivery, and creating new patient care models. The gathering of APPs in an in-person environment is a time to share ideas that affect APP practice and discuss healthcare issues that influence and benefit the APP workforce. There is a sense of resiliency among APPs to protect the workforce and project the innovative and exemplary healthcare achievements of APPs in the industry. The beauty of APPOS, for example, was the collegial approach with which we interacted with one another, shared clinical experiences, and learned new clinical strategies and treatments in oncology.
In-person conferences like APPOS also provide an excellent opportunity for oncology APPs to recharge so that we can promote our practices and roles within broader healthcare settings in our various communities. At the end of the day, there is a sense of accomplishment as we enjoy the rewards of our work. At APPOS, I learned about new oncology treatments and future directions in cancer therapy. The summit met my expectations, which I shared with fellow APPs at my workplace. Although this was my first APPOS, it will not be the last because there will always be something new to learn in oncology.
Ebele Ezenwa, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is a nurse practitioner at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL.
