Upstate Advanced Practice

01/16/2026

According to U.S. News & World Report for 2026, Nurse Practitioner is ranked the #1 Best Job, and Physician Assistant ranks #5 overall!

https://www.aanp.org/news-feed/nurse-practitioners-ranked-no-1-job-in-america-for-third-straight-year?fbclid=IwY2xjawPXY2JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE1aFZDUW9aRnJYdU5JR2toc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHn1eD1VCfT8vR0Dmw3H-LZKJMzQnHZUxetdAUHAsRNVDRMzvnScp_MXeHeUD_aem_Rma1YWYNywd8HQp1GyohnA

Media Contact: Bryan Black AUSTIN, TEXAS — The American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) proudly announces that the nurse practitioner (NP) profession has once again been ranked the No. 1 job in America in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Jobs rankings, securing the top spot in Be...

01/13/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Ashley Cary, DMS, MS, PA-C!
We’re proud to announce that Ashley has earned her Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification, marking a major milestone in clinical capability and patient-care innovation. 🩺

This certificate, offered by the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) in conjunction with the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), requires completion of a rigorous, multi-component program — including online modules, a live hands-on course, a personal scanning portfolio, and a comprehensive assessment.

Why this matters
• POCUS empowers providers to perform real-time bedside imaging, enabling faster diagnostic insights and more precise decision-making.
• In one internal medicine study, 97.8 % of clinicians recognized POCUS as a beneficial diagnostic tool; 85.6 % used it at least monthly, and 58.4 % noted that it enhanced their physical examination skills.
🔗 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39764717/
📣 Please join us in congratulating Ashley and celebrating this important achievement!

01/07/2026

Outstanding collaboration is driving meaningful, quality-focused improvements in patient care across our cardiac surgery units. The cardiac surgery team has been actively enhancing the re-sternotomy process on 8F and 8G for post-operative cardiac surgery patients through strong collaboration among nursing staff, APPs, unit leadership, and the Chief of Cardiac Surgery. Grounded in continuous quality improvement principles, this collective effort has led the team to the final stages of an optimized workflow.

Thank you to our APP cardiac surgery team—your collaboration is making a real difference for our patients!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from Upstate Advanced Practice!!

12/29/2025

A year of excellence.
A year of growth.
A year of incredible APP impact.
Thank you for everything you bring to Upstate Advanced Practice!

12/25/2025

12/19/2025

We had a great turnout and plenty of laughter at our Advanced Practice Year-End Wellness Celebration! Thank you to everyone who took time to connect, recharge, and celebrate an incredible year together. A wonderful way to close out 2025!

12/16/2025

Today, we kicked off another session of our Transition-to-Practice Program, where our newest Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) are diving into orientation! 🙌

The TTP program covers essential topics, including:
✅ Advanced Practice Department Overview
✅ Professional Communication
✅ Medical Staff Overview
✅ Tools for Success for APPs
✅ Epic Training

But it’s not all work—our APPs will also enjoy team-building activities, a fun scavenger hunt, and an engaging Jeopardy session to connect and learn together!

💡 Did you know? Jeopardy-style learning sessions are supported by adult-learning principles and improve retention!

Grounded in our Mission, Vision, and Values, the TTP program continues to evolve. We are committed to continuous improvement, actively seeking new ways to enhance the experience and better support our APPs as they transition into practice!

12/12/2025

🫀❄️ December Echo Trivia
Did you know winter months see a rise in heart failure admissions and holiday-related arrhythmias — making echocardiography one of the most frequently used diagnostic tools during the holidays?

Maybe a visit from an elf can help… but we’ll still trust the echo. Though an elf visit never hurts. 😉

Buddy stopped into the Stress Echo Department spreading some holiday cheer! All smiles here!

12/05/2025

Wreath-Making Team Building Fun!

Our Advanced Practice team kicked off the holiday season with a festive wreath-making session—such a great way to unwind, be creative, and connect with one another!

Fun Trivia:
• ✨ The circular shape of a wreath symbolizes unity and togetherness— something our APP teams demonstrate every day!
• 🎁 Did you know the tradition of wreath-making dates back over 2,000 years? Ancient wreaths were symbols of victory and celebration—perfect for closing out a successful 2025 together!

And speaking of celebration… we hope you’ll join us for our upcoming Advanced Practice Year-End Wellness Celebration as we wrap up 2025 together! (See our director updates for details!)

11/26/2025

11/24/2025

🎗️ November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Pancreatic cancer is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States by 2030, just behind lung cancer — underscoring the critical importance of advancing research, early detection, and multidisciplinary care.

Two of our Advanced Practice Providers, Olivia McEachron, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, and Elsa Capria, NP, attended the Mayo Clinic’s HPB Oncology Conference (Nov 7–8), where national experts gathered to share the latest innovations in biliary and pancreatic cancer care. Both Olivia and Elsa learned that approximately 90% of pancreatic cancers carry a KRAS mutation, and that clinical trials are underway for pan-KRAS inhibitors. This evolving area of precision oncology has the potential to improve treatment options and long-term survival for patients facing aggressive HPB malignancies.
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🔬 Key Takeaways from Olivia
• A standout discussion explored the use of neoadjuvant (preoperative) radiation therapy for biliary and pancreatic cancers. While not currently standard practice, early research and expert debate suggest potential benefit, sparking meaningful conversations about future treatment pathways.
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🩺 Key Takeaways from Elsa
• Elsa also noted that many of Upstate’s current HPB practices are aligned with leading national centers, reaffirming that our patients receive high-quality, evidence-driven care.
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💙 Thank you to Olivia and Elsa for representing Advanced Practice and bringing back fresh insights that directly enhance care for our HPB patient population. Their commitment to continuous learning strengthens our entire team — and aligns with evidence showing that APP involvement leads to better care coordination, stronger guideline adherence, and improved symptom management. (https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/EDBK_390572)