An advanced practice nurse is thought to be intimately linked to advanced knowledge and skill. In defining the advanced practice nurse and giving insight on the principal foundation of advanced practice, the International Council of Nurses states that an advanced practice nurse is a registered nurse who has developed the skilled knowledge base, multifaceted decision making skills, and clinical proficiencies for extended practice. Completing an advanced nursing degree increases and develops advanced nursing knowledge. Using this knowledge can help spur change in the healthcare field by offering healthcare organizations with skilled nursing professionals and ultimately stimulate optimal patient care. As a graduate student it is essential be …show more content…
This environmental factor could possibly have detrimental effects on this patient’s diabetes management. I was able to refer the household to a dietitian in order to promote healthy habits among the entire family as well as offer a reliable form of support to my patient. By incorporating Nightingale’s Environmental Theory that states poor environment can lead to poor health outcomes, I was able to intervene on my patient’s behalf in order to increase his compliance with diabetes management. Being able to incorporate advance knowledge coupled with nursing theory produces positive health results for patients (Alligood & Tomey, 2010). The significance of clinical leadership in today’s healthcare system cannot be undervalued. Effective clinical leadership has reliably been identified as a vital element for ensuring quality care and healthy workplaces. Leadership and ethical decision making skills are important for all advanced practice nurses to possess. I have gained more knowledge on the benefits of effective leadership and proper decision making skills during my graduate studies. Being able to take the lead and make effective decisions in a timely manner can make a significant difference in patient health outcomes. As a nurse in the MICU I have been able to put into practice these improved skills on multiple occasions. While working as the nightshift charge nurse there are several instances where nurses and other essential healthcare professionals do not want
The role of the advanced practice nurse has evolved immensely over the years, so why not take a stand and continue your education to become one of the four advanced practice nurses? Transitioning to an advanced practice nurse role requires a master’s degree and some experience as a registered nurse in order to have the background to propel forward in this career. Advanced practice nurses are comprised of nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives who are often primary care providers and provide comprehensive care to patients. Out of the four advanced practice nurse roles, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists have both been providing care to patients since the 1960s. They both have many similarities and differences, and strengths and limitations of practicing in these specialized roles.
In the article written by Ford, (2009), the doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) has an important role to play in the current health care system which is constantly changing. As healthcare around the world is transforming, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2011 report mentioned that in the United States, Advanced practice nurses play a vital role in the rapid complex changes based on the full extent of their education and training. This article describes some of the positive role of the advance practice Nurse as a facilitator in the regulatory and policy developments. The Advance practice nurse participates and provide cost-effective care models that will improve the access and quality of care of the population. Another positive area for the APN in this current healthcare system is health promotion, health maintenance, and prevention. In this evolving health care system, it gives the Advance practice nurse the opportunity to set up acute and primary care settings that will positively impact health care delivery as they meet the needs of an expanding, aging, and chronically ill population. All over the world, the NP’s role has developed and is beneficial to health care systems and health care consumers. As Advance practice nurses we must use this great opportunity to advance our role and work with others to improve and transform health care globally. DNP graduate 's role is include leadership, research, practice, education, and
Leadership is one of the most important aspects of running organizations as it contributes the overall strength, wellbeing, and success of an organization. Without leadership and management, assurance of standards and regulations of care would falter. Lack of an authority presence could lead to some nurses or other healthcare team members providing inconsistent care, as well as a lack of organization and direction within the units of the hospital. In the hospital, nurse leaders and managers play a vital role as they help successfully run units, guide nurses in successful practice, empower others to strive to reach goals, while also maintaining strict standards and acting accordingly by serving out appropriate repercussions and consequences
The report shows that the part of nursing must be expanded so that nurses are able to practice to the fullest degree of their education and training. Currently, advanced practice nurses (APRNs) work according to the scope of practice guidelines set forth by their individual state, meaning these highly educated nurses may not be working to the extent of their training but to the individual state laws. The report offers recommendations to streamline these idiosyncrasies and get rid of the red tape so that nurses can work in their appropriate manner and deliver safe quality care to some 32 million Americans who will before long gain access to health care services (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2012). The report correspondingly finds that nurses need to attain advanced levels of education and training through an enhanced education structure which encourages a cohesive academic progression as to safeguard the delivery of quality health care services. Patients are becoming progressively more complex and nurses need to attain the proper skills to care for these persons. Nursing education must embrace the continuous move towards a streamline approach to higher degree programs (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, p. 2). Nurse residency programs
Leadership has been defined in a number of ways, but the concept is still indefinable (Barr and Dowding 2016). Buchanan and Huczynski (2010, p. 596) define leadership as “a process of influencing the activities of an organised group in its efforts towards goal-setting and goal achievement”. In clinical practice, leadership translates to an ability to direct other to achieve evidence-based practice that supports enhanced patient outcomes (Kelly-Hiedenthal 2004). Like any other industries and organisations, an effective leadership skill is vital in the healthcare sector to improve the standards of the care and to achieve organisational goals (Bach and Ellis 2015). Sullivan and Decker (2004) stated that nurses often step up to the
Leadership is complex yet essential in this profession. For this reason, nursing leaders must make decisions in a number of areas in order to provide quality care and a few of the many decisions involve staffing, financial, and assessing ethical dilemmas (Zydziunaite & Suominen, 2014). An appropriate leadership style is crucial and Yoder-Wise (2011), addresses the various styles, discusses Fiedler’s Contingency Model, and emphasizes the importance of adapting to various situations. For example, my experiences allow me to choose an effective leadership style based on the situation in order to provide a positive outcome best for the
In addition, a DNP degree will help me better serve my community by advocating for quality and safety healthcare system. Once attained, I would seek employment at either a school or university with the mission of educating nursing students to practice the highest quality of patient care. One of the major issues facing the nursing profession today is the lack of advance nursing practices. The medical field is in crisis. Doctors are stretched to the limits, and patients are demanding more advanced care. To alleviate some of the concerns facing medicine in the 21st century, advance nursing practices is a vital area in the contribution of understanding and working within the bounds of a team structure, and the promotion of communication between the interdisciplinary health team. The mission of the advance nursing practice is to help individual patients, and their families, determine and achieve optimum physical, mental and social potential, and to do so within the challenging context of the environment in which they live and work Nurses are among the largest professional care group within the healthcare service industry. We are responsible for providing quality care and assisting patients towards independent and healthy living. Considering the changing working environment, health care practitioners like nurses are
The educational requirement for advanced nursing practice is a master’s level education in a program or track leading to APN licensure, including graduate degree-granting and post-graduate certificate programs with established educational standards and attainment of the APN core, role core and population core competencies (National Council of State Boards, 2012). APN’s acquire increased knowledge in the sciences of anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. The core curriculum for the advanced practice role includes priorities in
In healthcare it is very important to have strong leaders, especially in the nursing profession. A nurse leader typically uses several styles of leadership depending on the situation presented; this is known as situational leadership. It is important that the professional nurse choose the right style of leadership for any given situation to ensure their employees are performing at their highest potential. Depending on which leadership style a nurse leader uses, it can affect staff retention and the morale of the employees as well as nurse job satisfaction (Azaare & Gross, 2011.) “Nursing leaders have the responsibility to create and maintain a work environment which not only promotes positive patient outcomes but also
Credentialing from advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) perspective is defined as “furnishing the documentation necessary to be authorized by a regulatory body or institution to engage in certain activities and use a certain title” (Hanson, 2014). Credentialing is also define from a local institutional process that consider specific documentations for APRN before they assume the practice role as APRN within their facility. In health care system, credentialing ensures individuals meet required standards of practice and is prepared to perform those duties implied by the credentials. National certification and education are considered as part of credentialing for APRN to acquire basic level of competence to practice. (Hanson, 2014)
The role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is expanding internationally throughout the healthcare system. Since the initiation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, there has been an increased need for APNs due to the growing demand for primary care services and increased population that have gained healthcare coverage (Lanthrop & Hodnicki, 2014). The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of APN and develop a professional development plan for my future career.
“Advanced nursing practice is the deliberative diagnosis and treatment of a full range of human responses to actual or potential health problems.” (Calkin, 1984). Advanced nurse practitioners attempt to maximize the use of knowledge and skills and improve the delivery of nursing and health care services. The field of advanced nursing practice differs from basic practice as the former requires clinical specialization at the master’s level. At this level, nurses become expert practitioners whose work includes direct and indirect patient care. Direct patient care involves caring for patients and their families; this is the focus of my section on nurse clinicians. Indirect patient care includes work as an educator, researcher, and a
The need for continuing education in nursing has been accentuated in response to rapidly changing health care environment. Expanding knowledge by pursuing higher education allows nurses to enlarge one’s practice. Furthermore, higher education in nursing has been shown that a nurse’s level of education can become a critical factor to the patient-centered quality of care. This essay describes increased demand for higher education in nursing and emphasizes the necessity of continuing education to provide optimum patient care in various setting.
For current and future needs we need to enable all healthcare professionals especially nurses to practice to the full level of their education and training. Advanced practice nurses can fulfill the primary care needs. This will free up physicians to address more complex cases which needs their expertise. Current practice focus on specialty and acute care only and a shift in practice to deliver more primary care and community care services is essential to improve the quality of nursing care and address the growing need of care in these areas.
Leadership may mean different things to different people, the consensus opinion of experts in this field is that leadership is using power to direct and influence activities of people to achieve set goals or targets. Nursing leadership is all about every nurse providing, facilitating and promoting the best healthcare services to client and to the public. Leadership is a shared responsibility. (CNO 2012). The nursing profession need leaders that can build the capacity of nurses through mentoring, coaching, supporting, developing the expertise and management skills of nurses to make a difference to the quality of patient care at all levels of the profession ( McIntyre & McDonald, 2014 ). At the core of every leadership either political or managerial is power and how the leader uses it. While it is practically impossible to lead without power, how the nurse leader uses this power not only determine the leadership style but also the results or outcomes of what is achieved through the process.