Happy Tuesday! Hot topics are flowing like Mother’s Day bouquets this week.

In Today’s Edition:

• The Peach State Enforcing ‘Medical Title Misappropriation’ penalties

• Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

• Birth Control OTC?

• FDA Ends Ban on Discriminatory Blood Donations

• AI Powered Symptom Assessment and Care Platform

• First Vaccine Developed in the U.S. for RSV in Adults

• Chest X-Ray Interpretation Resources to Keep the Palpitations Away

🩺 APP Trending News

Peach State Isn’t so Peachy on ‘Medical Title Misappropriation’

Effective July 1, Georgia has banned the use of the title 'doctor' by non-physicians in clinical venues. The law, known as the "Health Care Practitioners Truth and Transparency Act," mandates that clinicians' advertisements must include their names and specific licenses for the services they offer. Non-physicians are also prohibited from using the title "doctor" in clinical settings, and advanced practice nurses (APNs) and physician assistants (PAs) with doctorates must clearly indicate in their advertising that they are not medical doctors. Violations of the law can result in disciplinary action from professional credentialing boards. The goal is to ensure that patients have clarity about who is responsible for their care during procedures or surgeries.

Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

The team-based model of nursing is not new and studies have shown improved patient outcomes and job satisfaction. With a growing number of experienced nurse shortages, it’s time to get creative. We love teamwork!

Birth Control OTC?

Last Wednesday, an advisory committee voted to back the approval of the nonprescription birth control, Opill. This move could greatly improve access to contraception, particularly for young women and those who face challenges in visiting a doctor. The panel believes that the benefits of over-the-counter availability outweigh the risks, as nearly half of all pregnancies in the US are unintended, and the contraceptive pill has a long history of safety and effectiveness. We hope to celebrate the approval, a historical win for women's health, this summer.

FDA Ends Ban on Discriminatory Blood Donations

For a long time, the FDA prevented men who have sex with other men and women who have sex with men seeking men from donating blood. This policy was seen as discriminatory, and the FDA has gradually eased the restrictions over the past decade. The new approach, announced last week, involves a targeted questionnaire about an individual's sexual history. Advocates like pathologist Dr. Benjamin Mazer argue against donor questionnaires (as a crude method of ensuring blood safety) in favor of more accurate tests currently available to detect infections.

⚙️ The More You Know

AI Powered Symptom Assessment and Care Platform

Jefferson Health, the largest health system in Greater Philadelphia, has joined forces with Ada Health, a global digital health company, to introduce Ada's AI-powered symptom assessment and care navigation platform throughout their network. The partnership aims to enhance the patient experience and provide personalized care by integrating Ada's technology into Jefferson's digital platforms. Patients will have access to accurate symptom assessment and care recommendations in English and Spanish, enabling them to expedite appropriate care from the comfort of their homes. The collaboration also includes plans for joint research on leveraging digital tools for long-term condition detection and prevention. This will be interesting! 💡

First Vaccine Developed in the US for RSV in Adults

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that can be a serious threat to vulnerable populations (think extremes of age), and there are currently no effective treatments for the virus. Scientists have been working to develop a vaccine to protect against this virus for over a decade based on a viral protein strategy breakthrough by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved the first-ever RSV vaccine, clearing GlaxoSmithKline's Arexvy for use in older adults. This breakthrough could have significant implications for public health. 🙌🏼

Need to Brush up on Vaccine Recs? Here is a comprehensive summary of the most current clinical guidelines for adult immunizations from the American College of Physicians. We love sharing resources!

💡Inspiration for Aspirations

📈Future APPs

Looking for a Good Pre-Professional or New-Grad Podcast? We Got You!

🧪Clinical Conundrums: Because We Love a Challenge!

Did Last Week’s CXR Give You Palpitations?

The Answer to Last Week’s Conundrum is Pleural Effusion

This X-ray shows a PLEURAL EFFUSION. The Left lower lobe is completely white. The meniscus sign is concave surface that shows a crescent shaped collection of air. The left heart border, costophrenic angle, and hemidiaphragm is obscured. Slight blunting on the right side indicates a small right pleural effusion as well. The Bottom Line: We must determine WHY the effusion is present. This can be a broad differential. The Merck Manual Professional Version is a great resource if you need to refresh on the topic.

Physical exam signs include:

• Decreased or absent breath sounds.

• Dullness to percussion.

• Decreased tactile fremitus.

• Evidence of tension and contralateral tracheal shift possible with large effusions.

Need more practice? For a stepwise approach to mastering CXR interpretation, we recommend this lecture series resource from Strong Medicine: How to Interpret a Chest X-Ray (Lesson 2 - A Systematic Method and Anatomy)

Tune in next week for a new case!

🔎ICYMI

Last Week We Got to the Heart of the Matter

• Happy Nurses Week! Take Advantage of All the Discounts We Found

• Healthcare Tech, a New Sensor May Detect Heart Attacks

• Updates in Hypertension & CAD Risks

• Free Cardiovascular CME Resources

• Speaking of Heart, Meet Dr. Sandra Hyder, a CV-ICU NP, Leader, and Educator

• CXR's Give Me Palpitations, a Clinical Case

You don’t want to be the only interesting APP at the water cooler. Please share, subscribe, and let us know what you would like to see in upcoming editions! We would love to hear from you! 🫶🏽