CHEST announces pulmonary certification for nurse practitioners and physician assistants

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) has announced plans to develop the first pulmonary-focused education and certification program specifically for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). This initiative follows a discovery process involving surveys of pulmonary APPs and physicians, which highlighted a demand for standardized education and formal competency validation to support the growing role of these providers in respiratory care.

In a related clinical discussion, advanced practice providers addressed the complexities of managing biologic therapies for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Key topics included the use of biomarkers like blood eosinophil counts to qualify patients for treatments such as dupilumab and mepolizumab, as well as the logistical challenges of securing insurance coverage and managing dosing frequencies for newer agents.