The role of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) can be described as diverse and challenging; while at the same time, rewarding and the mainstay for future healthcare. Like many early nursing pioneers, breaking misperceptions by focusing on national recognition and public awareness of the role continues to be an emphasis of today’s NP. Both similarities and distinct differences can be seen between nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and physicians. The nursing model, whether as a registered nurse (RN) or NP, has holistic care at the core of patient care. Both entities focus on the whole person, physically and mentally with an emphasis on the family unit and social structure, to provide a high level of care. Both entities complete physical …show more content…
Both NP’s and physicians assess, diagnose, and treat simple to complex medical problems according to the same evidenced based clinical guidelines. The NP, though, brings years of experience delivering holistic patient care to the forefront of medicine. Examples can be seen every day in primary care of how this holistic approach makes the care of an NP just as proficient, if not superior to physician based care. For example, a patient comes in with hypertension that meets appropriate guideline definitions, and the physician writes a prescription for a blood pressure medication that will likely work well. The NP, though, digs deeper into this new medical diagnosis and asks about other issues that may be causing or contributing to this patient’s elevated blood pressure; such as the patient may be having new stress or anxiety about a family or work situation, or maybe the patient has been experiencing pain after an injury that is interfering with sleep. Three unique qualities set NP’s apart from other healthcare providers: a.) NP’s don’t just diagnose: NP’s care why the patient is currently experiencing this medical issue; b.) NP’s don’t just devise a treatment plan: NP’s are part of the treatment plan thru active patient teaching; and c.) NP’s are not just responsible for the patient’s health status today: NP’s partner with patients and families to achieve improved overall health status thru patient’s taking an active part in their own health
The role that nurse practitioner (NP) plays within the increasing complex health care system is a constant changing role with the Consensus Model and the introduction of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. The scope of the nurse practitioner (NP) includes the care of the young, the old, the sick and the well. The educational needs of a nurse practitioner vary greatly from that of a Registered Nurse (RN), in the amount of education as well as the focus of the education. NPs provide coordinated primary care with the use of comprehensive health histories and physical examinations, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses, the management of medications and therapies, ordering and interpreting tests results, and educating and
When there are Nurse Practitioners that are filling in for doctors, this can improve quality. The way that this takes place is to have these individuals work with select amounts of patients. This creates smaller teams and more personalized attention in providing these services. This is when mistakes will decrease with health care professionals doing more for everyone. Once this happens, is when the underlying quality of care will rise. (“Scope of Practice,” 2010)
The success of NPs depends on practicing evidence-based care with competency in assessment, diagnosing, managing patients, and maintaining a caring practice. The nursing component of the NP role continues to be challenged from within nursing, as well as by large national physician organizations. NPs are extensions of nursing practice who are guided by nursing theory. The transformation from nurse to the advanced practice role of NP involves development of advanced knowledge and skills for listening, knowing, being with patients, connecting patients to their communities, promoting health,
One of the suggestions is for licensed practical nurses and registered nurses to incorporate health care education and counseling, using evidenced based clinical guidelines, to patients with chronic conditions through continued care offered via home visits and telephone follow-up calls (Institute of Medicine, 2010). It is also recommended to utilize APRNs as primary care providers in both outpatient and inpatient settings as this decreases the provider to patio ratio thus potentially enhancing the quality of care, and it allows the APRNs to practice to their fullest abilities (Institute of Medicine, 2010). APRNs participating as primary care providers widen the opportunity for health promotion, disease prevention, and limiting disabilities via early diagnosis and treatment. Transformation to a health care system driven by primary care practice as suggested by the IOM report will create a more qualified, accessible, and value driven health care system (Tri-Council for Nursing, 2010).
Personal Practice Framework Part Two Nurse practitioners (NP) provide a combination of direct nursing care and medical management to the patient as a whole. The NP is considered a leader and should provide education and support to the patient (Elliott, Begley, Sheaf, & Higgins, 2016). As a leader it is important to recognize and assist in finding solutions to barriers. The NP is responsible for advocating for the patient and recommending treatments that consider the best interest of the patient. The integration of personal practice framework helps make the provider aware of their own views and provide better patient-centered treatments (Moyo, Goodyear-Smith, Weller, Robb, & Shulruf, 2016).
The Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Nurse Informaticist, and Nurse Administrator have different educational background and training, thus they play a different role in the field of advance practice nursing but they have a common goal, and that is to ensure a safe and effective delivery of care to every patient, regardless of the type of health care setting. The difference is their roles lies in the fact that the Nurse Practitioner practices in the advanced clinical role while the Nurse Educator, Nurse Informaticist, and Nurse Administrator have the non-clinical roles. Having a clinical role means that the having a direct contact with patient. The NP’s main role is to provide direct care to patient, making diagnosis
Responsible health teachings that are planned to help prevent illness, reduced morbidity, improve health and wellness practices and manage chronic conditions effectively with increasing patient care results. In this respect, Nurse Practitioner must stay consistent in maintaining a culturally sensitive patient-centered care environment by recognizing patients as part of the decision-making process (National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 2016). The development of evidence-based practice and evaluation practicing of learning become vital parts by providing a significant response to improving the teaching-learning process and, more likely, participate in the competent and excellent in the management of patient care (National League of Nursing, 2016). Health care is continuously developing and improving; Nurse Practitioner must be committed to lifelong learning to continue with the stated fast-paced revolutions. Additionally, NP collaborates with other members of the health care team to promote healthy partnership within the organization to providing optimal care and transition to the care continuum accordingly (National League of Nursing, 2016). Nurse Practitioner decision-making is affected by their ethical principles to make simple decisions
Nurse practitioners evaluate, diagnose, prescribe and generally care for their patients. A survey was completed on the satisfaction nurse practitioners felt relating to their current job and the general consensus determined, “Overall, NPs in the workforce reported high levels of job satisfaction. NPs were most satisfied with their level of autonomy, time spent in patient care, sense of value for what they do, and respect from physicians and colleagues (Health Resources, 2014).” Nurse practitioners are practicing independently in twenty other states and the district of Columbia and national surveys and statistics are generally showing average or above average scores when compared to care given by a physician. A study was done to evaluate nurse practitioners in April of 2014, that compared the care of Medicare and Medicaid patients and the avoidance of hospital admissions,
As health care continues to evolve, these changes may facilitate or hinder the availability of health care resources for lower income populations. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2017), “By providing high-quality care and counseling, NPs can lower the cost of health care for patients” .Moreover, practicing at the primary care level, and focusing on prevention, counseling, and screening will help decrease the prevalence of inpatient hospitalizations due to people not understanding their health. As an FNP in primary health care setting, I will have the ability to see my patients for wellness visits, and reinforce the routine knowledge needed for them to make ideal life style choices, that will maintain their good health. The overall goal, which I want to obtain in this vital role is to change the mind set of individuals to disease
The relationship of the advanced practice nurse and the patient, with the patient being a single individual or a family unit, is participative with the focus being on meaning as the nurse practitioner assists the patient to select one of the multitudinous possibilities in a given health situation. The nurse practitioner does not prescribe a patient to a set of interventions alone, but instead the FNP intervenes with active presence and listening to help the patient to identify their own desires for change. Instead of finding what is wrong with the patient, the nurse practitioner asks what the patient wishes to discuss during an encounter. Then, the FNP supports the patient and helps improve the patient’s quality of life through perspective, pattern recognition, and change if the patient desires. Together, the FNP and patient collaborate to achieve patient-chosen health goals.
The key issue related to scope of practice center around quality of care. From a physician’s perspective, most physicians believe that NPs assessment, diagnosis and treatment skills are inferior to that of a physician (Donelan, 2013). However, this same study reveals that NPs feel that their skills are along the same level as physicians,
In a report posted in AARP titled “Leading Change, Advancing Health,” the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine outlined ways that nurses are solving many challenges in health care and hold a key role in accessing health care for many patients and play a significant role in transforming the future of health care (AARP, 2012). The Nurse Practitioner is a Registered Nurse who have received their master’s degree or PhD in nursing and completed a course to a specialized medical field and is capable of providing patient care and writing prescriptions (AARP, 2012). With the boom in the aging population the nurse practitioner has a key role for adults over 50, the need for medical care will increase and the wait to see a doctor will also increase. The Nurse Practitioners Role in patient care will help provide continuity of care with chronic patients. In an article post on AARP website entitled “The Doctor Can’t See You Now-But the Nurse Can” states the importance of nurses in field of advance practice. In poor and underserved rural and urban areas, nurse practitioners represent the only health care available. Nurse practitioners play a vital role in the health of adults over 50 not
A nurse practitioner (NP) are trained, educated and knowledgeable professionals that flourish in primary care. There is no comparison between NP and physician, their aim should be to provide exceptional care for patients. With all respect to the medical doctors, nurse practitioners are capable of managing the medical problem as well as nursing problems (Weiland, 2015). There are many barriers which APNs have to face within their scope of practice especially in the state of Georgia (Shilling, & Hodnicki, 2015). This barrier impedes the type of care which are delivered by NPs to their patients.
Historically, nurses focused on the diagnosis and treatment of a disease, sickness or condition and emphasis on health promotion was nonexistent. However, today that has all changed. Nurses are now expected to expand their primary care services to include psychosocial nursing, advocacy, behavioral science, counseling and advocacy in addition to patient assessment, clinical diagnosis and patient-case management. In the article “Defining Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice: Expanding Primary Care Services,” Sherwood, Brown, and Wardell (1997) state “the role of the nurse practitioner continues to evolve in response to changing societal and health care needs as consumers in all settings seek increasing services”. (Sherwood, Brown and Wardell, 1997).
There is an increasing demand for nurse practitioners, which makes this a crucial period in the development of their practice and profession. Nurse practitioners must face increased opportunity and continuing opposition towards independent practice all while defining their role in health care delivery and establishing their connections. The practice of nurse practitioners still varies widely across the states. These inconsistencies make it difficult for nurse practitioners as well as patients when practice