APN Role Assignment Paper
Abstract
The education, training, and certifications of Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) places them at a position where they can work in a clinical patient care setting with a high autonomy and a high degree of responsibility for patient care in the healthcare system. Ideally, they can be certified to attend to patients without a doctor, order for diagnostic tests, make crucial medical decisions and make clinical diagnosis. However, it is important to note that different healthcare professionals are authorized and licensed to do different things and their scope of practice is regulated by individual state. Due to changes in healthcare, the like hood of seeing an APN will grow since healthcare systems have embraced APN care as a way and strategy for attaining universal healthcare.APN Role Assignment Paper
APN possess advanced degrees at the master’s level and even above for those who are trained in specialized areas of nursing. There are four categories of APNs which include certified nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists. Usually, they offer specialized or primary care for patients in healthcare. As a result, their practice is regulated, recognized, and licensed by individual states. This paper will compare the various educational requirements, credentialing process, and the employment benefits of the nurse practitioner and nurse anesthetist practices.
Introduction
The two most common career options for students inclined to nursing care nursing practitioner (NP) as well as certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) (Gysin & Essig, 2019). Although there are some commonalities between them such as the educational preparation required, such as Master in Science in Nursing (MSN), the two careers have their unique differences. For example, they each require a specific and unique skill set for their execution and success (Gysin & Essig, 2019). This paper will delve into comparing the various aspects of the two professions and the requirements. Therefore, anyone weighing the options of nurse anesthetist or nurse practitioner can benefit significantly.
NPS usually offer acute, primary as well as specialty care to patients of all ages. However, they tend to specialize in various areas such as care for psychiatric patients, adults, children, and women, hence, the reason many Americans visit NPs many times each year according to research by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (Gysin & Essig, 2019). It is important to note that NPS offer various services such as writing prescriptions, ordering diagnostic tests as well as treatments, offering counseling for better and healthier lifestyles and disease prevention (Miranda Neto et al., 2018). They work in different settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and urgent care offices. Besides, giving healthcare, they are also researchers and educators who conduct analysis in their fields and use their findings in their current practices.APN Role Assignment Paper
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The NP interview stated they possessed a master’s degree besides holding a bachelor’s degree in nursing as well as registered nurse (RN) certification (Miranda Neto et al., 2018). The various specialization-specific courses for NPs are primary care of psych-mental health, sociological, political, and economic perspectives in aging and primary care of the family. Further, they obtained a national board certification (Nye et al., 2019). The education program followed the established educational standards which ensured the achievement of the APRN CORE, population core competencies, and role core. Also, the accreditation requirements as well as the competency-based standards assisted the NP to offer high-quality, cost-effective, and safe patient-centered care (Nye et al., 2019). It was mentioned that NP is accountable to their patients, the nursing profession as well as the state board of nursing. NPS should practice consistent with a code of conduct, evidence-based principles, national certification, and current practice standards.
The interviewee had specialized in Psych mental health. Consequently, the skill sets required for NPS are comprehensive since they offer lifetime care and wellness counseling to patients of all ages (Nye et al., 2019). Therefore, they need to have impeccable communication and interpersonal skills. They ought to masterfully and skilfully navigate diagnoses, medication, treatment as well as a range of various health issues. Consequently, empathy, compassion, and emotional fortitude can assist in delivering more effective, personalized, and professional care (Seol et al., 2017). Similarly, it helps them to establish and maintain lasting relationships with patients. Also, NPS should have strong leadership skills in their role as clinicians, mentors, and educators. They must be in a position to manage cases and make informed decisions regarding sensitive issues in their practice.
According to research and data provided by the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), nurses who have careers that require master’s degrees such as NPS have a salary that is 60 % higher than nurses who have Registered Nursing certification (Seol et al., 2017). It was noted from the interview that NPS specialized in skills such as cardiology, acute care, and oncology to earn a higher salary (Seol et al., 2017). However, as baby boomers continue to leave the workforce, the demand for health care services offered by NPS will continue to increase. Evidently, opportunities will be presented by the need of having more NPs on board.
The NP has had the privilege and opportunity to work in various healthcare setting and their roles included but were not limited to assessment, performing, ordering, interpreting diagnostic and laboratory rests, managing treatment, prescribing medication, counseling and educating patients, their families, and communities (Seol et al., 2017). It was noted that the role was consistent with the APRN consensus model practicing in psychiatric mental health. It is important to note that the scope of practice is not setting particular but based on the requirements and needs of a patient.
On the other hand, a Nurse anesthetist is trained to administer anesthesia to patients in private practices, hospitals, clinics as well as doctor’s offices. As compared to NPS, they do not offer a broader range of care (Stevens & Borwm, 2019). However, besides, administering anesthesia, they can perform patient evaluations to best comprehend the type of aesthetic to be used. Besides, they monitor vital signs when the patient is under anesthesia, assist patients in handling recovery as well as side effects and make post-procedure assessments. The interviewed CRNA possesses a master’s degree from a nurse anesthesia educational program that is accredited by the Council of Accreditation of Nurse Anaesthesia Educational Programs.
The skills required by a CRNA are similar to those of an NP since they ought to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills while working with team members and their patients. Also, the patients need to trust the nurses giving them drugs that make them sleep or ease pain (Stevens & Borwm, 2019). Therefore, the CRNA should demonstrate empathy and compassion when issuing and explaining procedures, ensuring patients are calm and reduce stress before a procedure or a surgery. However, the pay for CRNA is higher than that of an NP and according to BLS, it shows opportunities for this profession continue to grow.
CRNA same as NPs collaborate with other healthcare professionals and patients to offer patient0centred, cost-effective, holistic, and evidence-based care. In regards to accountability, CRNAs are accountable to the body of professionals which requires excellence through learning and practice, consistent certification, professional development, quality improvement as well as compliance with the code of ethics for CRNA and the standard for Nurse Anaesthesia Practice (Stevens & Borwm, 2019). The CRNA’s are expected to practice independently, give professional judgment in their scope of practice. Ideally, they are accountable for their actions of keeping individual clinical competence. Typically, the scope of the individual is determined by experience, education, state, federal, local, and organization policy.APN Role Assignment Paper
The factors that led to both the NP and CRNA to choosing their careers include, the desire to help people remain healthier and the satisfaction derived from working directly with patients. Also, their jobs allow them to perform similar roles and responsibilities as doctors. Ultimately, they enjoy high salaries as compared to RNs (Wands,.2019). The NP obtained their qualifications from John Hopkins University, while the CRNA went to the University of Pennsylvania. The credentialing process or both professions included verifying education, certification, licensure, and reference check (Wands,.2019). The process involved filling forms showing standardized procedures as well as the protocols to be performed/ followed by the providers, verification of licenses, professional references, and a copy of the DEA certificate. Upon verification of the credentials and background checks, the NP and CRNA are allowed to work.
According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), there are about 350 academic institutions with NP programs while there are 120p accredited nurse anesthetist programs. While NPS is expected to select a specialty area of care and should finish a minimum of 500 clinical hours as part of their bachelor’s program, nurse anesthetists complete about 8,636 clinical hours (Wands,.2019). The accreditation for NP is done by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education while CRNA is done through Counsel on Accreditation. The exams for NPS are done through American Nurses Credentialing Centre while nurse anesthetists are offered by the National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anaesthetists.
Conclusion
NPS and CRNA have a lot in common in terms of certification and skills required to practice. Communication, coordination, and working together are essential elements for effective care. Interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to achieve common goals in healthcare. From the two interviews, it was noted that the healthcare system also faces barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration such as legal issues of scope of practice as well as liability, educational and hierarchical administrative structures that interfere with and discourage interprofessional collaboration, reimbursement structures for various professions and regulatory and financial constraints.
Pieces of advice that were given empathized on the need to ensure the care provides is patient-centered. Evidently nursing is more than a career, it is a calling and it belongs to those with compassionate hearts, intelligent minds, and caring hands. Also, it is a profession that calls for teamwork. Further, it is not repetitive and nurses get to learn new things every day since they are highly involved in research and changes in the healthcare that they are expected to adapt to. There are tremendous lessons and invaluable experience that is obtained throughout a person’s career. Finally, the opportunity to empower patients and their families with the required knowledge. It is satisfying and fulfilling to see a patient understands their ailments and embraces the plan of care. The decisions made by nurses are crucial and life-changing, thus the need for accuracy and attention to detail. APN Role Assignment Paper
references
Gysin, S., Sottas, B., Odermatt, M., & Essig, S. (2019). Advanced practice nurses’ and general practitioners’ first experiences with introducing the advanced practice nurse role to Swiss primary care: a qualitative study. BMC family practice, 20(1), 1-11.
Miranda Neto, M. V. D., Rewa, T., Leonello, V. M., & Oliveira, M. A. D. C. (2018). Advanced practice nursing: a possibility for Primary Health Care?. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 71, 716-721.
Nye, C., Campbell, S. H., Hebert, S. H., Short, C., & Thomas, M. (2019). Simulation in advanced practice nursing programs: A North-American survey. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 26, 3-10.
Seol, M., Shin, Y., Lim, K. C., Leem, C., Choi, J. H., & Jeong, J. S. (2017). Current status and vitalizing strategies of advanced practice nurses in Korea. Perspectives in Nursing Science, 14(1), 37-44.
Stevens, G. A., Hinton, E. G., & Brown, R. E. (2019). Research and instruction services for online advanced practice nursing programs: a survey of North American academic librarians. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 107(4), 508.
Wands, B. A. (2018). A survey of moral distress in certified registered nurse anesthetists: A theoretical perspective for change in ethics education for advance practice nurses. International journal of nursing sciences, 5(2), 121-125. APN Role Assignment Paper