Editor's Viewpoint

Looking back on 2007
Over the course of 2007, I have been pleased to deliver you the industry news that matters to your business. Part I of this AANP SmartBrief special year-end report rounds up the most important trends, stories and events of the past year. Part II, which will hit your inbox on Thursday, will provide a glimpse into what's in store for 2008.

This year began with news that more nurse practitioners are becoming primary care providers. This trend carried through the year, alongside the continued popularity of health clinic programs in retail and employer settings. Patient safety debates -- including access to the new HPV vaccine, Avandia heart risks and CMS' new policy of not covering preventable medical errors -- weaved in and out of the news throughout 2007. Presidential campaigns began to pick up speed toward the end of the year and have focused their attention on health care, particularly plans for providing insurance coverage to more Americans.

This year's conferences took AANP members to Indianapolis for the AANP National Conference, which had record-breaking attendance. Members across the country also celebrated National NP Week in November. It was an exciting year, indeed.

And now, here's what was most important to YOU in 2007.

Best of 2007

• Pa. doctorate nursing program attracts professionals nationwide (2/18)

• CDC issues revised adult immunization guidelines (10/18)

• New screening standards for gynecological cancers (10/24)

• Nasal rinsing gains favor for sinus sufferers (5/29)

• New guidelines refine heart attack treatment (8/6)

• Washington NP breaks mold with innovative practice (1/18)

• CDC revises isolation precautions for health care settings (6/2007)

• NPs shine in convenient care (8/12)

• Nursing expert discusses retail clinic visit length (4/19)

• Providers urge strategies to thwart patient fibbing (1/21)

Your Favorite SmartQuotes

Here are the quotes you shared with colleagues most often during 2007:

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

--Winston Churchill,
British prime minister

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worthwhile."

--Herm Albright,
writer

When you step into a turnaround situation, you can safely assume four things: morale is low, fear is high, the good people are halfway out the door, and the slackers are hiding."

--Nina Disesa,
as chairwoman of McCann-Erickson Worldwide

If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it?"

--Steven Wright,
comedian, actor

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense."

--Thomas Edison,
inventor and businessman

One of the hardest tasks of leadership is understanding that you are not what you are, but what you're perceived to be by others."

--Edward L. Flom,
CEO of Florida Steel

Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

--Eleanor Roosevelt,
former first lady and American political leader

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're OK, then it's you."

--Rita Mae Brown,
writer and activist

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."

--Audrey Hepburn,
Academy Award-winning actress, humanitarian

Rule No. 1: Use your own good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules."

--Bruce, Jim and John Nordstrom,
co-presidents of Nordstrom department store, in the employee handbook

Email: aanp@smartbrief.com
Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004
Legal and Privacy information at http://www.smartbrief.com/legal.jsp
Unsubscribe