Aug 5, 2022
In this episode Bryan talks with NAON Member, Roz Puleo, ONP-C, FNP-BC, RCEP about her experience as a Nurse Practitioner working in an outpatient sports medicine setting.
The number of Orthopaedic NPs in the area of Sports Medicine and overall musculoskeletal health continue to increase. Sports medicine should be looked at as a more comprehensive arc for a person leading an active lifestyle, not just about athletics. Orthopaedic care for a sports medicine issue goes beyond resuming the sporting activity and touching psychological or emotional wellness, return to work and even physical adjustments through rehabilitation. The role of orthopaedics keeps people moving, building on the foundation to overall wellness. Looking ahead to new opportunities in orthopaedics, we talk with Roz about NP sports medicine care in the outpatient setting. NPs have greater acceptance, more autonomy and overall better ownership of primary care. She shares experiences at her clinic that show less referrals out of the clinic to orthopaedics since implementing the NP role onsite, improved patient satisfaction and outcomes, increased comfort and trust, and improved patient education.