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The mission of the National Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Week (Sept. 25-29) “honors the contributions of physician assistants (PA), nurse practitioners (NP), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives (CNM), and certified genetic counselors and audiologists. We recognize and celebrate this week the challenging work of these professionals and to raise awareness of their unique roles in healthcare.” 

UVA Health is proud to have more than 600 APPs elevate the fields of medicine and nursing to ensure our patients and communities receive quick access, safe, high-quality, evidence-based care. 

To represent this group of care members, the APP council was formed in 2021 to expand APP representation to include NPs, PAs, CNMs, CRNAs, audiologists, and genetic counsellors. APP council’s executive structure currently has four different committees: recognition, diversity/equity and inclusion, social media, and onboarding/orientation and education.  

This organization is dedicated to advancing the professional development of APPs by optimizing their roles and providing a supportive environment to share their voices and concerns. They offer educational resources, champion diversity and inclusion, celebrate achievements, enhance visibility through presentations and social media, prioritize staff satisfaction and retention, and actively promote scientific research and innovation. 

We will celebrate our APP week by recognizing all the APPs who were nominated by their peers as outstanding providers in areas of leadership, scholarship, DEI, excellence, and collaboration. There were more than 50 nominations and winners will be announced on Sept. 29 at a ceremony in Pinn Hall.

Below are a few highlights from the highly decorated APPs at UVA Health who were nominated for this year’s APP recognition ceremony: 

• Christa Sharpe, FNP, DNP, participated in a departmental pilot program focused on evaluating a new healthcare delivery model called Team-Based Care, which was part of the clinic optimization project aimed at improving patient access and satisfaction in the Department of Cardiology. This initiative involved collaboration between the Department of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to assess the success of the "team-based model" compared to traditional healthcare delivery in academic medical centers nationwide.  
• Dea Mahanes, APP-CNS, developed internationally recognized neuroprognostication guidelines (Guidelines for Neuroprognostication in Adults with Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Guidelines for Neuroprognostication in Comatose Adult Survivors of Cardiac Arrest). 
• Barret Zlotoff, MD, highlights Keith Pillow's, PA, excellent care and adaptability as he assumed a lead role in the interprofessional pediatric dermatology clinic and has been an integral part of building this clinic out to what it is today. His efforts have served this underserved population, and his efforts are profoundly changing lives and improving access for our patients.  

During this week, please reach out to an APP in your department and acknowledge them for the value they provide to our institution and patients! If you are interested in learning more about APPs at UVA, please visit this website. Keep an eye out in October for an APP conference in collaboration with the School of Nursing.