preview

Np Role

Decent Essays

Tara Butts Georgia College and State University The role of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) in the U.S. is one that has undergone numerous changes over past years. When the first NP program was developed in 1965 at the University of Colorado by a pediatrician by the name of Henry Silver and a master’s prepared public health nurse by the name of Loretta Ford, the role was primarily meant to train nurses to provide care to poor, rural, children in Colorado. (Joel, 2013) By the 1970’s, it was clear that the NP could fill the country’s need for healthcare providers and the number of programs providing NP education rose to 178 by 1977. (Joel, 2013) At this point in time there were no clear guidelines in regard to curriculum and evaluation standards, that is until the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners was developed in 1985, bringing with it an abundance of political support for the NP role. (Joel, 2013) …show more content…

With the implementation of the Consensus Model for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in 2008, great strides have been made in APRN’s gaining legal authority, prescriptive authority, and reimbursement mechanisms. (Joel, 2013) Educational requirements for the APRN-NP remain the same throughout the US in that all NPs must be master’s degree prepared. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) has set forth core NP competencies in which all NP program curriculums are based upon. This ensures that the NP is trained to serve as a provider, direct caregiver, client advocate, teacher, consultant, researcher, and educator. (Faculties,

Get Access