Four APN Roles – The Advanced Practice Nursing: Main Roles
Directions
Introduction: Provide an overview of what will be covered in the paper. Introduction should include general statements on advanced practice nursing roles, general statements on the role transition from RN to APN, and identification of the purpose of the paper.
Four APN Roles: Describe the role, educational preparation, and work environment for the four APN roles (CNP, CNS, CRNA & CNM). Provide support from at least one scholarly source.
Rationale for Choosing CNP Role: Describe your rationale for choosing the CNP advanced practice role versus one of the other roles.
Plans for Clinical Practice: Discuss your plans for clinical practice after graduation. Explain how your understanding of NP practice has changed after researching the four ANP roles.
Role Transition: Discuss your transition from the RN role to the NP role. Describe two factors that may impact your transition. Discuss two strategies you will use to support a successful transition from the RN to your NP role. Provide reference support from at least one scholarly source. The textbook is not a scholarly source.
Conclusion: Provide a conclusion, including a brief summary of what you discussed in the paper.
—-
APNs are nurses who have received advanced training and certification, which may include a master’s degree or a doctorate in nursing. APNs are also known as advanced practice registered nurses (APRPs) and are part of a group of healthcare providers known as advanced practice providers (APPs). APNs and physician Helpants are examples of APPs (PAs).
While the term “physician extenders” is commonly used in the healthcare system, some healthcare professionals believe it overemphasizes the physician’s role in APP supervision.
APNs’ Roles and Responsibilities
Because of the additional training required to become an APN, these healthcare providers frequently have the opportunity to work in a clinical patient care setting with a high degree of independence and patient care responsibility within the healthcare system. APNs can be certified to see patients without the supervision of a doctor, order diagnostic tests, make clinical diagnoses, and make important medical decisions.
However, there are some distinctions between what a physician, a PA, and an APN are authorized and licensed to do, and these are governed by each state. As the healthcare system evolves, you are more likely than ever to encounter an APN. Indeed, healthcare systems have viewed the expansion of APN care as a strategy for achieving universal healthcare. 1
According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are approximately 290,000 nurse practitioners in the United States2, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are over 240,000 jobs available, with a 26% expected job growth.
3
APNs can work in a wide range of clinical settings, such as medical offices, hospitals, and nursing homes. APNs can obtain special certifications and roles such as nurse practitioner (NP), certified nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, and clinical nurse specialist.
Licensed Practical Nurse
Outpatient care is typically provided by nurse practitioners (NPs). You could see an NP for preventative care and regular medical check-ups. Many patients are assigned to see nurse practitioners as their primary care providers. In this setting, your NP would see you for routine health maintenance as well as any health problems that may arise. Several diagnostic medical tests may be performed as part of your preventative care. These tests are routinely performed as part of your regular checkups by your primary care provider.
What Exactly Is a Nurse Practitioner?
Midwives who are CNMs
Nurse midwives are registered nurses who provide prenatal care to pregnant women throughout their pregnancy. Nurse midwives frequently deliver babies in addition to providing prenatal care for mother and baby. Nurse midwives may work in a team that includes both nurse midwives and physicians, or they may work in a team that is entirely comprised of nurse midwives.
Anesthetists who are nurses
Nurse anesthetists care for patients during surgery in the surgical operating room. This includes administering strong pain relievers during surgery, putting a patient to sleep during surgery, and monitoring vital signs during a surgical procedure. Nurse anesthetists are frequently involved in the immediate post-operative care following a surgical procedure.
Specialists in Clinical Nursing
Clinical nurse specialists are frequently members of multidisciplinary medical care teams. This includes visiting hospital patients and making diagnostic and medical care decisions. Clinical nurse specialists can be either general care nurse practitioners who provide a wide range of medical care or sub-specialists who provide specialized care.
Some clinical nurse specialists see patients post-operatively in the hospital as well as in post-discharge visits. For example, if you need a neurosurgical procedure, a clinical nurse specialist will almost certainly be part of your pre-operative care team, managing your pre-operative testing and procedures and explaining what you need to do before surgery. A clinical nurse specialist may also be a member of your post-operative care team, explaining what to expect after surgery, assessing you for post-operative complications, and managing issues such as post-operative medications and rehabilitation arrangements.
—-
Advanced Practice Nurses Roles Discussion Sample 2
Introduction
This report examines the four roles of Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), as well as the rationale for selecting Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) over Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). The essay also discusses the plan for future clinical practice and the transition to the Nursing practice role (NP). APNs do, in fact, provide primary care, treatment, and acute care services to patients. As a result, transitioning from RN to NP roles is difficult, necessitating novice nurses to initiate mentorship programs and gather valuable insights from experienced nurses. APNs play critical roles in supporting changes and initiating new practices to improve the quality of care provided to patients.
Four APN Positions
The Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) is a graduate-level trained professional who works in emergency departments, urgent care clinics, and hospitals. CNPs are in charge of developing and implementing health promotions, as well as disease prevention and patient counseling (Brassard, 2014). Furthermore, the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is a well-educated nurse with a Bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). CNSs provide advanced level care in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community health centers (Brassard, 2014). The CNS is in charge of disease diagnosis and treatment, disease management, and risk prevention. As a result, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is a nursing professional with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree who has completed an accredited nursing program. A CRNA’s responsibilities include performing patient assessments, advising families and patients on appropriate anesthesia care, and administering anesthesia (Brassard, 2014). CRNAs work in hospital operating rooms, intensive care units, and pharmacies. Finally, in hospitals and birth centers, the Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) provides obstetrical and gynecologic care to women (Brassard, 2014). They are also professionals with graduate degrees.
The Reason for Choosing a CNP Role
The desire to make a difference in the lives of patients drives the decision to become a CNP. CNPs are actively involved in the provision of care for patients throughout their lives, from birth to death (Williams & Howard, 2017). I believe that my training as a CNP has prepared me to provide primary and preventive care to a wide range of patients. Furthermore, I prefer the CNP role over the CNS role because of the independence associated with the CNP role. Unlike CNSs, who work closely with physicians and nursing practitioners (NPs), CNPs only report to physicians (Williams & Howard, 2017). As a result, CNPs are free to work independently to provide primary care to patients without the supervision and support of physicians.
Clinical Practice Strategies
I plan to continue my education in nursing after graduating and becoming certified as a CNP. To be more specific, I intend to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in order to equip myself with nursing skills and competencies to address the complex issues affecting the provision of quality care to patients. With a DNP, I can understand the complex health issues that are impeding care delivery. Exploring the four APN roles has significantly altered my understanding of Nursing Practitioner (NP). I discovered that a bachelor’s degree in nursing is required to effectively fulfill roles and seize opportunities for growth and recognition in the nursing profession. Furthermore, I have established that NPs must develop cultural competency skills in order to meet the needs of a diverse range of patients in their communities. CNPs, according to Clark, Casey, and Morris (2015), provide primary care to patients of all ages and stages of life. As a result, NPS must be prepared to work with the elderly, minority populations, and marginalized members of society.
Transition of Roles
My transition from RN to NP has been difficult. I sought to expand my nursing knowledge in order to acquire the skills required to remain relevant in the ever-changing health care landscape. The transition journey has compelled me to balance my personal and professional lives. Understanding the scope of practice and using advanced assessment skills are two key factors that will likely influence my transition. Understanding the differences in scope of practice, according to Buerhaus, Skinner, Auerbach, and Staiger (2017), is analogous to understanding the transition of nurses from the Registered Nurse (RN) role to the NP role. Nurses previously relied on Benner’s transition theory, which states that nurses begin as novice professionals before transitioning to become expert practitioners (Goodman, 2015). With advanced assessment skills, I can easily transition to NP roles because I can initiate additional laboratory orders and vary treatment options and prescriptions given to patients.
I intend to recognize and anticipate changes in new roles in order to successfully transition to my new role. In fact, I plan to interview experienced NPs to gain insight into how to effectively fulfill my new responsibilities. Furthermore, mentorship is an important strategy for transitioning to the NP role (Goodman, 2015). I intend to seek the Helpance of a mentor to provide guidance on the aspects of learning and education required to become acquainted with my new NP role. The mentorship program will most likely boost my confidence and ability to carry out my new responsibilities.
Conclusion
To provide primary care, engage in health promotion, administer anesthetics, and manage diseases, a nurse must have a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree. APNs work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, emergency rooms, surgical settings, community health centers, and clinics. Notably, I prefer the CNP role over the CNS role because of the autonomy associated with the former, as well as the desire to make a significant difference in the lives of my patients. Significantly, I intend to pursue advanced doctoral education in nursing as part of my future nursing practice plan in order to better equip myself with advanced skills and competencies. Finally, transitioning from RN to NP has been difficult because I have had to balance my personal and professional lives. Nonetheless, I plan to adjust to my new role by gathering useful information about the NP role from experienced nurses and mentors.
References
A. Brassard (2014). Summary and overview: APRN Roles: Practice and Education Opportunities and Challenges 1-10 in OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing.
P. Buerhaus, L. Skinner, D. Auerbach, and D. Staiger (2017). The current state of the registered nurse workforce as a new era of health reform dawns. Nursing Economics, vol. 35, pp. 229-237.
Clark, L., Casey, D., and S. Morris (2015). Master’s degrees are valuable for registered nurses. The British Journal of Nursing, vol. 24(6), pp. 328-334.
T. Goodman (2015). RN-to-BSN programs are critical to achieving an important nursing goal. AORN, 102(1), 1-2.
T. Williams and P. Howard (2017). A model of academic-practice collaboration to grow and sustain advanced practice nursing. 629-635 in Journal of Nursing Administration.
