Ashley Simpson, Lead Advanced Practice Provider (APP) at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, New Jersey, talks about the benefit of Envision’s APP Skills Lab and how it has helped with her career.

The APP Skills lab is a program at Envision where full-time APPs learn the everyday aspects of delivering quality care in high-pressure situations. This is designed for recent graduates and those new to the specialty of emergency medicine. This lab allows them to get hands-on experience, which leads to better quality care for patients. Some of the additional benefits of the program include earning CME credits and individualized training.

What is the value of the APP Skills Lab?

The APP Skills Lab prepares APPs for success in all areas of the emergency department (ED). In the U.S., as a new graduate, you come out of school with minimal experience after didactics and clinical rotations and are expected to begin working immediately. It is intimidating for a new APP to work in any ED setting with limited experience and on-the-job training. The Skills Lab teaches and reinforces crucial skills. One aspect of the lab teaches hands-on skills, such as suturing, splinting, foreign body removal, eye examinations, etc. The other part of the lab teaches specific professional skills, like communicating effectively with other members of the healthcare team and in a compassionate way with patients. It provides a framework for how to work with a team to provide the best possible care to patients.

Why is it important that Envision offers this program?

The APP Skills Lab shows that Envision is investing in your future. Your teammates are putting time and effort into developing the new APPs into skillful and knowledgeable practitioners. It’s an immersive experience that occurs throughout several days, requiring APPs to interact with others in the emergency medicine field and prepare for success in their position.

How did the APP Skills Lab prepare you for your position?

The APP Skills Lab was a vital part of preparing me to work in the ED. I was lucky enough to participate in the first-ever Skills Lab in 2014, and I’m so glad that it has continued since then. It really showed me that Envision wants to retain successful practitioners and help them thrive. I also appreciated that coworkers took time out of their busy schedules to come to teach and participate in the lab.

How do you get the most out of the Skills Lab?

Give 100 percent of your time while you are there and ask questions! If given the opportunity, try out every set of skills being taught. We don’t have many opportunities to participate in something like this. You will work with fellow teammates from around the country at the lab. Put in the effort to build relationships with those in the same boat as you.

You now help teach at some of the Skills Labs. How do you apply your experience and expertise in those lessons?

The ED is a busy and stressful environment to work in. The Skills Lab prepared me for success by giving me the necessary building blocks to feel confident in my position. I like to reinforce that when I am teaching and when I am working with a new graduate in the ED.

What Envision value resonates with you the most? What inspires joy in the work you do?

The Envision value that resonates with me the most is Embrace Teamwork. The Skills Lab is a clear indication that Envision invests in its people and builds successful teams. You have a wide range of people providing their time and knowledge to develop new APPs for their positions. The ultimate goal for all of this is to improve patient healthcare as a team.

Seeing good patient outcomes due to a well-functioning team inspires joy and fulfillment.

Why did you choose to go into medicine?

I decided to practice medicine because I wanted to help others and work in a team environment. The ED was particularly interesting because it is a continually changing environment, challenging you and always teaching you something new each day.