Movement Disorders Nurse Practitioner Fellowship

The short-term goal of the Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Pilot Program is to train Fellows, collect, and measure data to assess the impact of the program. Upon completion of the program, the Fellow will be prepared for independent practice and continued professional advancement focused on improving care for persons with movement disorders across settings and over time in the context of family and community.

The long-term mission of the Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program is two-fold. 

First, we hope to provide advanced subspecialty education through classroom and clinical learning to increase the number of MDS-trained healthcare professionals serving the Parkinson’s community. Expanding these training opportunities to the nurse practitioner community will ultimately allow us to better serve those living with Parkinson’s, particularly in areas of the country that do not have trained MDS physicians. Upon completion of the program, Fellows will be prepared for independent practice and continued professional advancement focused on improving care for those with movement disorders across settings and over time in the context of family and community.

Our second goal is to ensure the Fellowship is formally recognized and accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which will then make it easier for other clinics to train NP Fellows using our comprehensive curriculum as a guide, which will then ensure that upon completion all NPs have similar training and experience when they start working in the Movement Disorders field.

Upon completion of the Fellowship, Fellows will be able to:

• Describe the pathophysiology of selected movement disorders
• Apply evidence-based medicine in the diagnosis and ongoing provision of quality, cost-effective care for persons with selected movement disorders
• Select, administer, and interpret established rating scales to assess and monitor the clinical status of persons with selected movement disorders
• Design and present an educational offering for persons, families, communities, or professionals focused on a specific aspect of a selected movement disorder that is cognizant of the social, emotional, physical and cultural needs of participants
• Demonstrate organizational skills in the management of a panel of persons with selected movement disorders
• Display effective communication and presentation skills as a member of the interdisciplinary team
• Define how and when the administration of botulinum toxin injections are needed, as well as explain the side effects, when to refer, and how to manage problems for persons with selected movement disorders
• Differentiate the roles and responsibilities of clinical trial research team members
• Formulate, implement, and evaluate a plan for continuity of care for a person with a selected movement disorder that includes liaison and coordination with community agencies and healthcare professionals
• Explain DBS programming, intra-operative micro recording observation and Duopa management

• Graduate degree from an accredited school of nursing as an Acute Care or Primary Care Adult-Gerontology or Family Nurse Practitioner
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 scale
• National board certification in Nurse Practitioner specialty
• Licensed as an Advanced Practice Nurse in the state of New York at least one month prior to the start of the program year (July 1)
• Drug Enforcement Administration provider number
• National Provider Identification number
• Required, minimum of three years clinical experience as a registered nurse
• Preferred, minimum of one year experience as a nurse practitioner

Completion of the program will be established by:

• Comprehensive evaluation that includes demonstration of program objectives.
• Submission of manuscript to a professional journal or submission of an abstract to a conference of a professional organization.
• Following completion of this inaugural program, Fellows will be followed for a period of five years to determine career trajectory and use/relevance of course objectives.