Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1412801
110 110 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP Dr. Sophia Thomas: Let NPs be allies as healthcare faces physician shortage By Mackenzie Bean F or Sophia omas, DNP, an unlike- ly spark lit her passion for nursing: a severe case of appendicitis at age 13. Dr. omas, the immediate past president of the American Association of Nurse Practi- tioners, credits the nurses who went above and beyond to take care of her at the hospital for inspiring her career path. Dr. omas ended her two-year term as AANP's president July 1, handing the reins to April Kapu, DNP. Alongside her advocacy work, she continues to practice as a family and pediatric nurse practitioner at the DePaul Community Health Center in New Orleans. Here, Dr. omas reflects on her last two years as AANP's president and outlines how she'd like to see the nurse practitioner role — and healthcare — change. Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: What piqued your interest in the nursing or healthcare profession? Dr. Sophia omas: When I was 13, I got appendicitis. I was very, very sick, and when I finally made it to the hospital, my appendix was ruptured. I had to have emergency surgery, developed perito- nitis and was in the hospital for about a week with a drain and ev- erything. is was back in the early 1980s when parents couldn't stay with you in the hospital. So I had the nurses taking care of me and being surrogate mothers to me. ey le such an impression on me. I had no exposure to nursing before that time and didn't really understand what a nurse was. From that moment, I knew I wanted to help others just like they helped me. It was truly life-changing, and from then on, my path was set. Q: What's the biggest lesson you've learned over the last two years as AANP's president? ST: When I first became a nurse practitioner 26 years ago, we learned that the populations most at risk for high blood pressure, asthma, di- abetes, kidney disease and heart disease were communities of color, and those statistics have not changed in the entire time I've been a nurse practitioner. Couple that with the fact that the U.S. will face a shortage of up to 90,000 physicians by the year 2025. In addition, more than 84 million people live in health professional shortage areas, and an estimated 122 million Americans live in a mental health profes- sional shortage area. Helping you deliver better medicine to more people. COMPOUNDING HEALTH™ Leiters.com | 800.292.6772 1 Mixing, Diluting, or Repackaging Biological Products Outside the Scope of an Approved Biologics License Application Guidance for Industry https://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidances/ucm434176.pdf * ON-Q is a registered trademark of Avanos Medical Inc., or its affiliates. Avastin ® is a registered trademark of Genentech, Inc. Leiters, founded in 1926, is a trusted FDA-registered and inspected 503B outsourcing provider of high-quality ophthalmology and hospital compounded sterile preparations and services including: Pre-filled syringes, IV bags and vials ON-Q* Pain Relief System fill services Opioid-free surgical pain services medications Ophthalmology injections and solutions including FDA-compliant 1 repackaged Avastin®