Dr. Patrice Little was studying for her Doctor of Nursing Practice at Mercer University when she founded an education and lifestyle magazine for nurse practitioner students. In 2018, she graduated from the Georgia Baptist College of Nursing and launched NP Student Magazine to address a gap she saw in nurse practitioner education.
As Dr. Little was working on her doctoral project advocating for nurse practitioners to have full practice authority in Georgia — that is the authorization to evaluate and diagnose patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, and initiate and manage treatments without physician oversight — she realized there were some gaps in nurse practitioner education.
Nurse practitioners are master’s or doctorate-prepared registered nurses who can diagnose, treat and prescribe medicine for most health conditions.
“I realized there are some hit or miss nurse practitioners in the sense of their competency as well as their confidence in care, and this could pose a greater issue for our patient population,” Dr. Little said. “So, before we even try to get this full practice authority, which is great because we do need that, how about we address some of those fundamental gaps and make sure there’s a community, a voice in the form of advocacy for those who are getting ready to enter the workforce.”
Since then, NP Student has grown to include not only its flagship magazine but also a book, bootcamp and lifestyle resources.
“We set the standard for the holistic approach that supports the professional development and overall well-being of nurse practitioner students,” Dr. Little said. “When people are so dedicated to caring and providing care and they’re not caring for themselves, that is one thing that equates to burnout.”
NP Student is guided by seven aspects of nurse practitioner student life. Those aspects, inspired by work from author and motivational speaker Tony Robbins, are nurse practitioner school/professional development, love, social, spiritual, financial, health and wellness, and mindset.
With that in mind, the quarterly magazine covers topics including money management, nutrition and durable medical equipment. Dr. Little’s book, Think Like an NP, serves as a starter guide for applying to nurse practitioner school. NP Student Bootcamp introduces newly accepted nurse practitioner students to the core concepts of nurse practitioner practice.
This year, Dr. Little plans to re-release professional development courses such as “Nurses as Writers” and start a podcast called “Navigating NP Practice with Dr. Patrice.”
In addition to her role as CEO of NP Student, Dr. Little is the director at-large of United Advanced Practice Registered Nurses of Georgia. In this position, she’s been able to create and participate in programs that assist with transitions in advanced nursing and impact the care of Georgians. She also is a contributing author of the book Advanced Practice Nursing Leadership: A Global Perspective.
She hopes to have an impact on the world through her work.
“I aim for my work to empower future nurse practitioners to deliver safe and equitable care for years to come,” she said.
Dr. Patrice Little is among the Mercerians featured in Mercer Illustrated: The Places, People, and Experiences of a Uniquely Impactful University. This coffee table book from Mercer University Press can be ordered online. Mercer faculty, staff and students can receive a 40% discount when they order by phone at (478) 301-2880.
