Clayton Sleep Clinical Practitioner Provides Expert View on New Roles in the Sleep Clinic

Online, March 25, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Clayton Sleep Institute's (CSI) Loretta Colvin, clinical consultant, nurse practitioner and director of CSI Knowledge Center, recently published articles in Sleep Review and in Advance for Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine on the new roles Physicians, Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) must adopt as the face of health care changes.

"Colvin's expertise in the practice of sleep medicine is an invaluable asset to the Clayton Sleep Institute," said Joseph Ojile, M.D., founder and CEO of CSI. "Her recent articles share her clinical practice insights and understanding with her sleep medicine peers and are a signal contribution to our field and to the patients we serve."

Colvin's article, "Enhancing Your Practice Team," published in the January/February 2013 issue of Sleep Review, highlighted the shift of responsibilities APNs and PAs will experience in sleep centers as the health care industry evolves to accommodate new practice demands and pricing pressures. These challenges will profoundly affect physicians in the sleep medicine setting and necessitate APNs and PAs moving into different roles of clinical settings.

"Physicians are adopting new responsibilities in order to navigate the pressure of controlling costs and improving access, while maintaining a quality practice," said Colvin. "As APNs and PAs become more visible within sleep centers, sleep professionals need to learn more about their background, training, and capabilities."

In "Changing Role of APNs and PAs in Sleep Centers," published March 18, 2013 in Advance for Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine, Colvin addresses the need for APNs and PAs to familiarize themselves with multiple clinical roles in sleep centers. She encourages sleep professionals of all types to increase their knowledge of the contributions that APNs and PAs make in clinical practice.

"Nationwide, APNs and PAs are rapidly increasing in numbers, so it's vital sleep professionals understand the new roles APNs and PAs will have in sleep centers," said Colvin. "As a result, this will lead to a better understanding of the APN and PA in general and prepare those who may be considering employing these professionals in a sleep profession."

Colvin has served as presenter for the American Professional Sleep Societies, the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland, the Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, the St. Louis Nurses in Advanced Practice and the Arkansas Sleep Society. She served as the Course Chair for the "Sleep Disorders for the Physician Assistant or Advanced Practice Nurse" for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Colvin is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Missouri Nurse's Association and the St. Louis Nurses in Advanced Practice. Colvin earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and a master's degree in the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

About Clayton Sleep Institute
Clayton Sleep Institute (CSI) is a leading independent institution dedicated to all aspects of sleep medicine and sleep health. CSI serves patients and physician and business partners through four practice areas: The Sleep Clinics, The Insomnia Center, The Research Center and The Knowledge Center. Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, CSI has seven sleep clinics in four markets and serves a national community of sleep professionals through Updates in Sleep Medicine, an annual conference. For more information about CSI, its practices, partnerships and locations, visit www.claytonsleep.com.