Advanced Practice Education Services

NP/PA/MD Joint & Trigger Point Injection Workshops 2012

2012-02-19T12:53:00.000-08:00

A special- Thank you to all who attended our recent New Orleans Course which was full and we all had a great time!

Next Live course dates:

Dallas, TX- March 31st
Atlanta, GA- August 4th

11 different injection approaches discussed all with the hands on practice with the most realistic injection models that you have come to expect only with us.

Injections discussed:
Glenohumeral joint
Subacromial bursa
AC Joint
Epicondyle Elbow
Trochanteric bursa
Knee
Lumbar paraspinous Trigger Point injections
*Viscosupplementation knee injections

Attend a course and really LEARN information that could help your patients and practice.

See site for additional course details
http://www.injectioncourses.com/

High Quality Suture, Skin Tag & Tick Removal Course

2011-12-08T18:54:00.000-08:00

Tired of Suturing Pigs Feet?

We are excited to release our new Online Suture, Skin Tag & Tick Removal Course! This course has clear concise instruction with video demonstration for the common suturing techniques combined with the highest quality synthetic skin tissue model (yes, with "skin tags" & "ticks" attached).

We are continuing to raise the bar on interactive online procedure learning. CE's coming soon. Use our course & SAVE THE PIGS! www.injectioncourses.com

2012 Joint & Trigger Point Injection Workshops

2011-11-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

2012 Joint & Trigger Point Injection Workshops

New Orleans, LA- Feb 4th

Dallas, TX- March 31st

More dates to follow.

Topics Discussed:

Glenohumeral joint

Subacromial bursa

AC joint

Tennis/Golfers Elbow

Knee joint

Trochanteric bursa

Trigger Point injections

We limit course size to 30 max to ensure the best learning environment.

Attendees have PLENTY of hands on practice time with our state of the art injection models that will confirm proper placement. This is going to be the best CE course you attend this year!

Can't make it to our Live course- we offer a unique online version and our models can be shipped directly to you! Ideal for local medical groups or offices- Learn together as a team.

Additional information and CE details available on our site- Please visit.

We can bring our live course to your office or group- contact me to discuss aaustinnp@injectioncourses.com

Thank you for supporting an independent NP endeavor- we decline sponsors/grant to ensure unbiased learning.

Andy Austin FNP-C, FAAPM

Advanced Practice Education Services, LLC

www.injectioncourses.com

Hands On Shoulder or Knee Injection Practice for Under $250.00

2011-07-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

Right now we are offering a great deal- Course fee for our online Joint & Trigger Point Injection course that covers 12 different injection approaches, plus choose either the shoulder or knee state of the art injection model that will be sent directly to you PLUS NP's receive CE's- All for under $250.00.

Price includes 2 day model rental, 30 day course viewing, to & return shipping!

Safe, Realistic hands on practice is the only way to master "the feel" of doing these procedures and gaining the confidence you need. Our models are anatomically correct with sensor technology that will confirm needle placement.

Nurse Practitioners, Physicians, Physician Assistants and other healthcare providers from across the country have already taken advantage of this offer!

Additional models are available (elbow, hip, trigger point). See website for full details!

Trigger Point Injection CE

2011-06-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

Want to learn trigger point injections?

Learn from the best- Advanced Practice Education Services uses state of the art interactive lumbar paraspinous trigger point injection models designed specifically for our course. These models offer realistic palpable trigger points that provide an audible tone when needle tip is in correct location. These models are available at our Live & Online Courses that can be sent directly to your office or local NP group. Learn as a group and save!

This allows safe and dependable learning for Nurse Practitioners, Physicians and Physician Assistants- better than cadaver models!

Check site for more info on the incredible models we use to provide medical continuing education courses- http://www.injectioncourses.com/

NP/PA/MD Joint & Trigger Point Injection Course

2011-04-29T19:34:00.001-07:00

Our next Live Injection course is November 12, 2011 at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN!

12 different injection approaches discussed all with HANDS ON Practice.

Injections techniques discussed:

Glenohumeral Joint
Subacromial Bursa
AC Joint
Trochanteric Bursa
Knee
Elbow
Trigger Point Injections (Lumbar paraspinous)

Only 30 spots available to ensure plenty of HANDS ON practice with each injection.

CE's approved by AANP including pharmacology

Course info & Registeration Online: http://www.injectioncourses.com/

Hip Pain- Trochanteric Bursitis

2011-04-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

After a long cold winter- Finally, warmer weather is here. This time of year people become more active- getting outside walking, working in the yard, etc. Now is the time when you will see more complaints of lateral hip & thigh pain with difficulty laying on the painful side.

Trochanteric bursitis is a painful musculoskeletal condition that is found in patients with several precipitating conditions: Deconditioned pelvic/thigh muscles, Degenerative disc dis., Fibromyalgia and leg length discrepencies to name a few. These "flare ups" of trochanteric bursitis is commonly seen after patients have had days of increased activity and "week end warriors". Also, patients can have mild pain chronically with frequent episodes of acute pain from time to time.

Performing a Trochanteric Bursa injection in your office is a very effective method of alleviating the patients pain along with stretching exercises of the Illiotibial bands. Consider short course of PT for some.

With the correct training and Hands on practice, Nurse Practitioners in most states can provide these services to their patients suffering with Trochanteric Bursitis. We can provide this learning experience in our Joint & Trigger Point Injection Course.

Andy Austin FNP-C, FAAPM
www.injectioncourses.com

Responses From Previous Injection Course Attendees

2011-02-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

2010 was a fantastic year and was way above our expectations- I would like to say a special Thank you to all the fantastic Nurse Practitioners, Physicians Assistants, Physicians and Registered Nurse First Assistants from across the country who have supported this independent endeavor by attending our online course with Hands On practice..

Our Post Online Course Survey Averages for 2010:
Overall Online Survey Average: 3.77 (Grade scale: 4.0 Excellent- 0.0 Poor)

We also randomly polled over 60 participants from previous courses:
Has attending our Joint & Trigger Point Injection Course had any effect on their practice?

- Over 94% "Definitely" & 4% "Probably" Felt Attending our courses Positively Effected their practice

- 98% Felt More Comfortable in their Injection Skills and have or are likely to perform an injection discussed in our course

- Over 97% Said they were more likely to discuss other conservative treatments for OA with their patients (weight loss, exercise, etc)

We are very excited about these responses. But we aren't satisfied- we are committed to providing the finest learning opportunity available to our colleagues.

What sets us apart is the fact that we want you to learn these skills in a convenient & cost effective manner. We have the technology & resources to provide an online learning format with HANDS ON Practice that best suits you and your clinics needs-to benefit your practice and patients.

So whether your an individual provider or a company with multiple clinics, we can provide an excellent learning opportunity and you will feel confident in your injection skills.

The patient and provider is at the heart of all our decisions- that's why we have never accepted sponsors or advertisements to ensure an unbiased learning opportunity.

Thank you for your support,
Andy Austin FNP-C, FAAPM
http://www.injectioncourses.com/

Why Do Bad Things Always Happen to Good People?

2010-12-06T20:50:00.000-08:00

"God protects drunks and fools", that was taught to me early on in my nursing career in the trenches of a "charity" emergency department. Through those years I recall time after time this point seemed to be true.

Then on the other hand you see really good people struck down with horrible illnesses in the prime of their lives- seeing them deal with the pain, doubts and fears of a uncertain future and you have to ask yourself why? Now I'm not writing this to bring us all down but to share a story that really helped me come to grips with "why do bad illnesses seemed to always happen to good people" and more importantly provide to patients my thoughts when they ask: "Why am I having to go through this?"

For the last seven years, I have worked as a NP in an interventional pain clinic. Many, many times when talking to patients they would ask me that question "Why me?" And my only response was the most honest one I could give- "I don't know, but we are gonna keep trying to fight it."

I liked to tell you this story I heard awhile back that really made sense to me:
A patient presented one day, just like any other day. As the NP & patient were talking about his pain problem and how he couldn't do anything like he used to- the pt. abruptly asked: Does Mr._______ come here? Well, of course with all the HIPPA laws and everything the standard line of: "I have no idea, we have several thousand patients and I couldn't tell you yes or no anyway." was given.

A minute passed and the pt. responds "Well, I know he does, and I know he is alot worse off than I am." Now this struck the NP as odd for them to say and before a response was given the pt. went on: "And I see him at church, around town shaking hands with people, smiling... happy. And I know he is in more pain than I am. So, I said if he can do it- what's my excuse?"

When I heard that story, it helped me make some sense why bad things seem to always happen to good people. A patient living with chronic pain, debillatating condition or incurable illness usually just see their situation- as they should. Those of us on the other side of their fight see despite this horrible situation they are still pleasant, gracious- good. Their true character remains- no matter what. In a sense, seeing how they respond to extremely difficult circumstances with continued peace and joy greatly helps others with their "lesser" problems of life.

I have said all this to make this point- patients living with chronic pain need hope and a sense of purpose. If they can see a reason, a purpose for their lives, other than just living day to day to hurt until they die- I have seen how this can change their whole outlook on their life.

So, the next time a patient asks you "Why did this have to happen to me?" Tell them this story, and encourage them to understand that although they don't see it- their struggle is showing others what true character and grace really is. That people they love or hardly know them see how they are dealing with their struggle and are asking themselves: "If they can be happy despite all their pain & problems- what's my excuse?" These type of people you never forget them.

(This was a story told to me some time ago- I don't care if this was a true story or completely fiction, to me it doesn't matter. Any patient similiarities are unintentional. The purpose is this story has helped patients living with chronic pain gain some understanding about the part they are playing in the "bigger picture" and in the lives of others around them.

I hope this helps you and your patients.

All the best-
Andy Austin FNP-C, FAAPM
www.injectioncourses.com

Live Joint & Trigger Point Course

2010-10-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

We are scheduled to present our Hands On Injection Course in Jackson, MS- March 5th, 2011

12 Different Injection Approaches Discussed- Hands On Practice for Each!

AC Joint

Glenohumeral Joint

Subacromial Bursa

Medial/Lateral Epicondyle

Trochanteric Bursa

Knee Joint

Trigger Point Injections (Lumbar paraspinous)

Viscosupplementation for OA Knee

Only 30 spots available- Some are already gone!

CE's approved by AANP

More Info/Registration : www.injectioncourses.com

We are Looking for additional locations- we want to hear from you!

"Shoulder" Injections

2010-08-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

Shoulder pain is a very common complaint during the summer time- people are active, working in their yards, etc. So when you are considering performing a shoulder injection for your patient. Where & What are you actually trying to treat? Is it bursitis, tendonitis, osteoarthritis flare, etc.?
Ok- so you get an xray.. Results: mild OA found.. now what? Well, how is the patient presenting? Is the shoulder their chief complaint- new or chronic pain? Did it present after trauma, activity, etc. ? Where is the pain located anterior, lateral shoulder? All these clues are extremely important in determining the exact condition of the shoulder pain in order to have the proper diagnosis and proper plan of care and what type of injection to perform.

Many providers (MDs, NPs & PAs) use the term "shoulder injection" to usually mean subacromial bursa injection- which is a different location than performing a (glenohumeral) shoulder joint injection- Seperate areas with seperate clinical indications (adhesive capsulitis is shared)

How bad would that be if you did everything correct, complications arouse anyway- the case went to court & was found that where you injected the shoulder had no clinical indication (wrong diagnosis). Your documentation with the wrong diagnosis would be blown up so big in the courtroom that people in China would see it. Your counsel would politely try to settle the case- the whole while muttering something about @#$% mid level providers...

So, it goes without saying- knowing the indications for each "shoulder" injection you perform is as important as where you are going to insert the needle.

All the best,
Andy Austin FNP-C
http://www.injectioncourses.com

New Procedure Course

2010-08-08T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,
A special Thank You for all the support- especially area NP groups have been wonderful- our post course surveys have been excellent! We rely on your input to continue to provide the best Hands On procedure learning opportunity possible. That is and will always be our goal.

Special announcement: another NEW inoffice procedure course will be available soon- with the HANDS ON PRACTICE and the convenience to learn when its right for you!

Email me or visit our website http://www.injectioncourses.com/ for more information coming soon!

Triggerpoint Injections

2010-07-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

A question that has been asked on several occasions is which medications to use while performing a triggerpoint injection? The combination of medications clinicians use for triggerpoint and joint injections can be quite a complex mixture at times but it boils down to the individual clinicians judgement based on previous experiences from which combinations of short/long acting corticosteroid along with whichever "flavor" of short and/or long acting anesthetic works for them.

As far as my previous experience, I see no difference in sustained analgesic effect using corticosteroids in triggerpoint injections vs. using anesthetic alone. Now, I'm not saying NEVER use corticosteroids along with an anesthetic but one needs to remember why triggerpoints are being performed: 1. to provide relief of pain in the specific muscle and 2. to promote circulation of the triggerpoint area by active needling during the procedure. I know some clinicians that perform triggerpoint with a dry needle (no medications at all) with good results- however, I'm concerned about patients pain level while performing the procedure- especially in those with chronic myofascial pain (Fibro) that would require additional injections in the future.

Including corticosteroids in triggerpoint injections does pose a chance of hypopigmentation of the skin as well as atrophy of surrounding tissues that could cause scarring in that area. If you choose to perform triggerpoint injections with corticosteroids- Please discuss with the patient in rare occasions patients do experience these complications and have this on your consent form.

I'd love to hear from others who perform these procedures and what medication combinations work best for your patients?

All the best,
Andy Austin FNP-C, FAAPM
www.injectioncourses.com

Joint Injections for Arthritic Pain in the Elderly

2010-07-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

As I currently work in an interventional pain management- many of my Nurse Practitioner colleagues in Rural Family Practice ask "I have this old patient that has severe arthritic pain, the patient does not want to have replacement surgery, they have been on NSAIDS for a while but now it just not helping their pain as much as it did before. I don't want to start them on opioids right now either due to: NP wanting to avoid treating chronic pain- as in our state NPs cannot prescribe narcotics for chronic pain, potential side effects of opioids (constipation), poly pharmacy or future dependency issues. But, the patient can't drive to another city for a specialist to treat their arthritis pain."

When conservative treatment of arthritic joint pain fails (i.e. weight loss, exercise/PT, NSAIDS, etc.) the nurse practitioner should consider performing corticosteroid joint injection for symptomatic relief, usually in conjunction with previously mentioned treatments. Joint injections have longed been consider an appropriate treatment for arthritic joint pain. My personal experience with joint injections is that these simple in office procedures decrease patients' joint pain and improves their functionality and mobility.

Down and Dirty on Joint Injections:
A patient with less arthritic knee pain as a result of an injection is more likely to increase their activity of daily living- thereby, maintaining or improving lower extremity strength. Improved lower extremity means better stability and hopefully less likely to fall- we all know what happens when they fall.

As the current number of aging patients with mild to moderate OA is staggering with the number only increasing- Learning joint injections is an important skill necessary for the Nurse Practitioner treating our aging population.

Andy Austin FNP-C, FAAPM
www.injectioncourses.com