Future Scope, Role, and Professional Obligations
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) is a common umbrella term for certified nurse-midwives (CNMs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). APRNs lead in the rapidly changing healthcare environment, filling numerous roles in their healthcare settings, providing high-quality and cost-effective care (Hanks et al., 2019). APRNs are found in almost every healthcare setting within the healthcare system, including clinics, hospitals, policy-making boards, community health, government, and private practice. Through competence, APRNs presents numerous opportunities and challenges. Most of the challenges are associated with the increasingly changing healthcare environment and concerns, including health inequities, outcome measures, technology, and increasing costs. Changing and complex laws and policies are also changing the scope and role of APRNs. APRNs play a pivotal role in the contemporary healthcare system, and they are academically prepared to assess, diagnose, and manage health problems, but their role and scope are expanding to include other responsibilities within the healthcare systems.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Future Scope and Role
The scope and role of APRNs have changed drastically. Traditionally educated and trained to provide nursing care in particular clinics and hospital units, they now operate across boundaries and in myriad health care settings, following their patients through the transition of care (Fraser & Melillo, 2018). Currently, there is APRN care for outpatient clinics. They help admit patients to hospitals, coordinate the discharge process, collaborate in their long-term care, and sometimes work with public health practitioners to streamline return to home communities and families. They are pivotal in the cross-system care models, which are also increasing their regulatory complexities.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
APRNs have advanced specialized medical knowledge and skills acquired through a master’s education that prepares them for practice advancement, expansion, and specialization. APRNs are educated and trained with the doctoral or the master’s nursing program. Allegiance to the titles and professional organizations has become a factor among APRNs. Allegiance to professional organizations has consistently influenced the APRN scope and role (Duquesne University School of Nursing, 2020). The organizations work to improve policies and regulations that guide APRN practice. They have influenced the expansion in the utilization of evidence-based practice and preparing APRNs to be change agents in their organizations and the community. Doctoral graduates’ programs require APRNs to complete quality improvement projects that enhance their skills in developing and implementing research-based practice across all healt(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)hcare system levels. The professional organizations also influence core curriculum content, especially in the master’s degree.
APRNs are deemed to expand their scope and role and take more responsibilities in the future. They will be more involved in primary care, nurse leadership, public health, policy formulation and implementation, and healthcare administration. With increasing scope and role, the number of APRNs is also predicted to increase. APRNs are currently recognized for their potential to influence the US healthcare environment. More than 20 states passed the legislation in 2017 to expand the scope of APRNs’ practice, allowing the autonomous APRN practice.
Subsequently, over 40 professional organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Nurses Association (ANA), and American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), recognize the APRN role and have endorsed the APRN Consensus Model that influences their regulation, licensure, accreditation, education, and certification (Duquesne University School of Nursing, 2020). The model expands the APRNs role in healthcare. These organizations aim at ensuring APRNs practice to the full extent of their education and training despite the many challenges in the healthcare environment. The ever-changing US healthcare system means that the demand for APRNs will be ongoing to fill other roles nationwide. These organizations also develop and influence programs that lead to APRN certification and role recognition across the country.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Professional organizations
Organizations influencing the advancing scope and role of APRNs include the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), The American Nurses Association (ANA), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) (Duquesne University School of Nursing, 2020). The AANP encourages nurse practitioners to advance health care quality by practicing, learning, advocating, researching, and leading. It has the largest nurse practitioner membership. It represents their rights and interests. The AANP influences the scope of advanced nurses through legislative leadership at the local, state, and national levels. It helps advance health policy, promote practice excellence, education, and research. It also establishes standards that influence practice. The AANP leads advanced nurses to provide high-quality, cost-effective, patient-centered, and comprehensive health care. The organization provides NPs with a network to advocate their concerns.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
ANA is also crucial in the advancing scope and role of APRNs. It represents all APRNs, including NPs, CRNSs, CNSs, and CNMs. The ANA is instrumental in the move to remove all barriers, allowing full practice authority for APRNs. ANA influential efforts are supported by evidence of APRNs safe and cost-effective care providers and other organizations, including the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the National Governors Association (NGA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA), and other professional bodies (ANA, n.d.). ANA, in conjunction with these bodies, is pushing for full practice authority, which entails APRNs’ ability to employ knowledge, skills, and competencies to their practice all the way according to their education and training. APRNs scope and role are advancing to take more responsibilities from physicians, and they are currently are willing and trained to do so, but the limitations of APRNs scope of practice do not permit them. APRNs are deemed pivotal in addressing staff shortages in primary care, a reason ANA and other organizations are pushing for APRNs full practice authority to offer patients more options and services.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is more of a regulatory and certifying body, influencing more the educational aspects of APRNs. The ANCC credentials individuals are advancing in nursing. ANCC recognizes the need for continuing education to respond to the expanding scope and role of practice. The ANCC efforts boost APRNs career prospects. This organization allows APRNs to grow their nursing career and prove their competence in providing the highest quality of patient care (ANCC, n.d.). APRNs can demonstrate their commitment to the nursing profession by advancing into new certifications that offer new knowledge and skills, topping up to their specialties.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
I want to be a member of ANA which aligns with my objectives of improving health care quality. I want my interests represented, and ANA is the most vital voice for nurses in the United States. ANA works to foster high standards in nursing practice, promote a safe and ethical clinical environment, bolster nurses’ health and wellbeing, and advocate on health care issues that affect the profession and the public (ANA, n.d.). I believe ANA’s mission and vision have nurses’ best interests at heart, and the organization will help me reach my full potential. ANA provides career development resources and Congress lobbying on issues affecting the nurses. The organization seeks to attain a healthy world utilizing nursing power, more relevant today considering the challenges in the healthcare environment and the expanding role and scope of APRNs. The future of health care is immensely unpredictable, and ANA can help me revolutionize my approach to health care for the better.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Evolving and Controversial Issue
State licensure is a barrier to APRN practice as it limits full practice authority. As APRNs continue to face role recognition issues, many states still restrict their scope of practice. APRN practice laws and regulations vary from one state to another. ANA and other organizations like the institute of medicine (IOM) are pushing for the full practice authority of APRNs, but only 22 states have given this authority (Peterson, 2017). Therefore, in the remaining 56% of the states, APRN practice will continue to be limited. Currently, APRNs are more pivotal in primary care, and with full authority, they will evaluate patients, diagnose, order, analyze diagnostic tests, and recommend clinical interventions (Korbecka, 2018). They will also prescribe medication without physician supervision. With only 44% of states having implemented full practice authority licensure and practice, the remaining APRNs in the United States have a reduced practice and licensure or restricted practice and licensure.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Restricted practice and licensure also mean that APRNs relocating to other states will experience a limited scope of practice. Autonomous practice will address healthcare issues like accessible care (Peterson, 2017). Scope of practice variation across different states in the United States affects patient care because APRNs in states without a full practice authority licensure have limited opportunities to influence health care despite their willingness to deliver quality, safe, and cost-effective care.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Conclusion
APRNs are pivotal in the United States healthcare system. They are adequately educated and trained to assess, diagnose, and manage health problems, but their role and scope are expanding to include other responsibilities within the healthcare systems. The healthcare environment is rapidly evolving, characterized by new challenges, trends, policies, and issues, such as nursing shortage, care quality, safety concerns, technology, and state restrictions affecting the scope and role of APRNs. Organizations like ANA, AANP, and ANCC influence the advancing APRNs’ scope by setting new standards of practice, advocating for practice barriers like the full practice authority, and offering licensure, certifications, and regulations. To sum up, there is a need to address APRN role recognition and full practice authority across the country to allow APRNs to provide safe, quality, and consistent care and become more accountable in their practice.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
References
American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/aprn/(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
American Nurses Credentialing Center. (n.d.). Our Certifications. https://www.nursingworld.org/our-certifications/#FilterForm(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Duquesne University School of Nursing. (2020, April 16). The future of advanced practice registered nurses. https://onlinenursing.duq.edu/blog/future-advanced-practice-registered-nurses-prescriptive-authority-consensus-building/(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Fraser, M. A., & Melillo, C. (2018). Expanding the scope of practice of APRNs: a systematic review of the cost analyses used. Nursing Economics, 36(1), 23-28.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Hanks, R. G., Eloi, H., & Stafford, L. (2019, April). Understanding how advanced practice registered nurses function as patient advocates. In Nursing forum (Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 213-219). https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12319(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Korbecka, A. M. (2018). Independent Practice by APRNs. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 118(5), 13. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000532812.12208.f1(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Peterson M. E. (2017). Barriers to Practice and the Impact on Health Care: A Nurse Practitioner Focus. Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology, 8(1), 74–81.(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses Professionanal Obligations Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
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