The program dubbed as NET SMART is a three year continuing education program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration to give more knowledge for APNs in treating stroke victims. The program according to report started in January and enrolled by at least 25 APN fellows. The online career education about stroke is a welcome development for many concerned groups.
The so-called NET SMART program is an internet based continuing education program which also supported by at least a two-week clinical validation period. The program is started to finally give solution to the reported worsening stroke problems among Americans. In fact, it is recorded as the third leading causes of death in the entire American territory. Record would show there are now over 700,000 Americans who are affected by the problem every year.
Bernadette Melnyk, dean of the college of nursing at ASU said NET SMART is a unique program for the reasons that it is a combination of two leading nursing programs. It is hoped that through the program more and more useful information will be delivered to the American households how Americans would be able to take control of their lives and avoid become victims of stroke. In the United States, there are over 400 stroke centers but it’s also difficult to have expert practitioner with the present set up. There are only at least 200 professionals trained to become stroke neurologists and there is clear shortage of stroke professionals. In order to combat the shortage problem, the NET SMART program is able to train more APNs to become forerunners in the control of stroke in the next few years.