Why Most NPs & PAs Don't Feel Ready for Procedures
Most NPs and PAs learn procedures through lectures, videos, or brief observation, but rarely receive enough supervised, hands-on repetition to feel truly confident performing them independently.
​
You may understand the indications, anatomy, and steps on paper, yet still hesitate when you’re the one holding the instruments and the patient is looking to you for reassurance and skill.
Clinicians May Have:
-
Limited hands-on repetition during training
-
Little real-time feedback on technique
-
Anxiety when complications or variations arise
-
Reliance on colleagues or unnecessary referrals
Procedural confidence is not built through exposure. It’s built through coached repetition.
From Hesitation to Readiness
After two days of focused immersion, participants leave with more than a checklist of steps. They leave with confidence grounded in experience.
​
You’ll understand not only how to perform procedures, but why each step matters, how to troubleshoot common problems, and how to approach procedures with calm, systematic clinical judgment.
What the Procedural Readiness Intensive Is
The Procedural Readiness Intensive is a 2-day, small-group, hands-on immersion designed to build true procedural competence through deliberate practice and expert feedback.
You will train in an environment that emphasizes:
-
Instruction from practicing clinicians with real-world experience
-
Hands-on practice using real instruments and high-quality anatomic models
-
Direct feedback on technique, ergonomics, efficiency, and safety
-
Clinical decision-making, not just mechanical steps
This is not another lecture. It's a coached procedural lab with a goal of procedural readiness.
Hands-On Training Modules
These modules focus on high-frequency, high-liability procedures that NPs and PAs are expected to perform competently in urgent care, emergency, inpatient, wound care, and primary care settings . . . often from day one.
Module 1
Suturing & Wound Management
High-volume, high-stakes skill. Patients and supervisors expect fast, clean, cosmetically sound closure.
Competencies Learned
-
Systematic wound assessment (depth, tension, contamination, neurovascular status, foreign body risk)
-
Decision-making for primary vs delayed vs secondary closure
-
Anesthesia selection: local infiltration vs field block vs digital nerve block
-
Instrument handling and ergonomic technique (needle driver, forceps, suture control)
-
Simple interrupted, running, vertical & horizontal mattress sutures
-
Tissue eversion, tension management, and scar minimization
-
Common closure errors: dog-ears, ischemia from tight knots, poor edge alignment
-
Aftercare, antibiotic indications, and suture removal timing by body region
Module 2
Abscess Incision & Drainage
I&D is a foundational acute care procedure. Poor technique leads to bounce-backs, complications, and medicolegal risk.
Competencies Learned
-
Differentiating abscess vs cellulitis vs phlegmon (including ultrasound correlation)
-
Anesthesia strategies for painful, deep, or large collections
-
Proper incision placement and depth
-
Deloculation and probing technique
-
Irrigation and cavity management
-
Packing vs no packing (evidence-based)
-
Loop drain placement for high-risk locations
-
Antibiotic decision-making and aftercare counseling
-
Recognition of anatomic danger zones and referral thresholds
Module 3
Nail & Digital Procedures
Painful nail pathology and trauma are among the most common procedure visits in ambulatory and emergency settings.
Competencies Learned
-
Digital nerve blocks
-
Subungual hematoma trephination
-
Paronychia drainage
-
Partial nail avulsion for ingrown toenails
-
Total nail removal and nail-bed exposure
-
Matrix preservation to prevent permanent deformity
-
Proper dressing, infection prevention, and follow-up care
Module 4
Splinting & Acute Orthopedic Care
Improper splinting leads to neurovascular compromise, compartment syndrome, delayed healing, and litigation.
Competencies Learned
-
Indications and contraindications for splinting vs casting
-
Neurovascular exam before and after immobilization
-
Hands on training to apply the most common types of splints including thumb spica, ulnar gutter, sugar-tong, and posterior short-leg splints
-
Proper padding, positioning, and molding
-
Avoiding circumferential compression and pressure necrosis
-
Patient aftercare, red flags, and follow-up planning
Module 5
Skin Biopsy
A core outpatient diagnostic procedure that requires precise technique and appropriate biopsy modality selection to ensure accurate diagnosis.
Competencies Learned
-
Selecting the correct biopsy type (shave, punch, excisional) based on lesion morphology and malignancy risk
-
Performing shave biopsies with hemostasis
-
Full-thickness punch biopsies with closure
-
Excisional biopsy planning along Langer’s lines
-
Anesthesia techniques and bleeding control
-
Specimen handling, labeling, and pathology communication
-
Closure techniques and cosmetic considerations
Why This Is Not Just Another Workshop
Most procedural education relies on observation and passive learning. You watch slides, review steps, and maybe see a demonstration but rarely receive enough supervised repetition to develop true comfort and consistency.
This program is different. It is built around:
-
Repetition, not exposure
-
Feedback, not just demonstration
-
Technique refinement, not memorization
-
Clinical judgment, not mechanical performance
​
You will work directly with instructors who observe your hand position, needle angles, tissue handling, anesthesia technique, and decision-making. They will provide real-time correction and coaching.
You will not simply see procedures performed. You will leave knowing you can perform them yourself.
Built for Real-World Clinical Practice
and Career Readiness
Healthcare employers value clinicians who are confident, efficient, and capable of performing procedures safely and independently. Procedural readiness directly impacts patient flow, supervision burden, and the scope of care a clinician can provide.
​
Clinicians who are comfortable performing common procedures:
-
Rely less on constant oversight
-
Are more versatile within their clinical teams
-
Are better prepared for high-acuity or independent practice settings
-
Experience less hesitation and anxiety in acute situations
​
This program is designed to support the transition from theoretical readiness to clinical confidence. When a procedure is needed, you will be able to step forward calmly and competently.
Trusted by Clinicians Seeking Procedural Readiness
"This is a must for enhancing confidence for any practitioner embarking on an urgent care, ambulatory or ER position!"
-Laura Roberts, ACNP, FNP
"Eric Gordon’s suturing workshop is a masterclass and perhaps one of the best in the whole DFW. He demonstrates a high level of expertise and takes an individualized approach to teaching to ensure each participant understands the techniques and receives constructive guidance. The learning environment was thoughtfully prepared and so well-organized with an abundance of materials from needles and threads to a cute little abscess I&D suture pad. This course represents the level of instructional quality that should be modeled across all healthcare programs. It was honestly so much fun and this experience was an absolute privilege."
-Peggy Angela Krajnovic RN, M.Ed
"​I would highly recommend the class. It was so relaxing and not intimidating. Felt more impowered with skills. Instructor was awesome and encouraging."
-Jeanette L. Wright, DNP, AGACNP, CCRN
"Do it. The practical skills you gain in one weekend are irreplaceable. Eric is a superb instructor who makes complex techniques approachable, and you'll leave with both confidence and great reference materials. It's a top-tier learning experience."
-Donisha Williams, RN MSN
Is This Program Right for You?
The Procedural Readiness Intensive is designed for NPs and PAs who:
-
Are early in practice and want to build confidence with core procedures
-
Are transitioning into urgent care, emergency medicine, hospital medicine, wound care, or procedure-heavy primary care roles
-
Feel hesitant or anxious when performing procedures
-
Want structured, supportive coaching - not judgement
-
Desire greater autonomy, efficiency, and credibility
The program is appropriate whether you are:
-
A new graduate preparing for your first procedure-heavy role
-
An experienced clinician who wants to refining technique and rebuilding confidence
-
Entering a setting where procedural readiness is expected on day one
-
Currently an NP or PA student looking to enhance your level of procedural readiness prior to starting your first clinical position
What's Included
Your training begins immediately upon registration and continues well beyond the two-day intensive.​ Your registration includes:​
Live, In-Person Training
-
Two full days of immersive, hands-on procedural training
-
Small-group instruction to allow individualized feedback
-
Multiple procedural stations with guided repetition
-
Direct coaching from practicing clinicians
-
High-quality instruments and anatomic training models
-
Document of Completion
Procedural Readiness Toolkit
​Instant access, including:
-
Procedural Readiness Workbook
-
​Local Anesthesia & Nerve Block Quick Reference
-
​Procedure Setup & Execution Checklists
-
​Complication Recognition & Aftercare Guide
Reviewing these materials in advance so in-person training can focus on hands-on practice, coaching, and refinement.
Take-Home Practice Kit
To support continued skill development after the workshop, participants take home their own procedural practice materials, including:
-
Personal suturing practice pad
-
Suturing instruments used during the course
-
A supply of practice sutures
​
(Practice materials valued at approximately $115, included with registration.)​
​
These materials allow you to continue practicing knot tying, needle handling, tissue approximation, and closure techniques, reinforcing muscle memory, technique, and confidence over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meet Your Instructor
Eric Gordon, MPAS, PA-C
Eric is a board-certified physician assistant and founder of Elevate Clinical Skills, where he teaches medical education for PAs and NPs. Drawing on years of experience in emergency medicine, home-based urgent care, and wound care, Eric focuses on practical, patient-focused learning that builds confidence and real-world clinical readiness.
Investment in Procedural Confidence
Standard Tuition: $825
This investment includes full participation in the two-day Procedural Readiness Intensive, including all on-site instruction, equipment, supplies, and Procedural Readiness Toolkit instant download, and take-home practice materials.
​
Enrollment is intentionally limited to maintain small-group instruction and individualized feedback.
​
**Early registration and student pricing may be available for select sessions. See individual date details below.
​
Ready to Choose a Date?
View upcoming sessions and current availability below.
